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Their Past, Your Future

Kingston Museum and Heritage Service

The Blitz and Bomb Damage

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Land mine, Sandy Lane, Teddington

Land mine, Sandy Lane, Teddington

Land mine, Sandy Lane, Teddington

Land mine, Sandy Lane, Teddington

Land mine, Sandy Lane, Teddington

Land mine, Sandy Lane, Teddington

Parade of Shops, Coombe Lane, New Malden, 16 August 1940

Parade of Shops, Coombe Lane, New Malden, 16 August 1940

St. Mark's Church, 2 October 1940

St. Mark's Church, 2 October 1940

St. Mark's Church, western end and tower, 2 October 1940

St. Mark's Church, western end and tower, 2 October 1940

St. Mark's Church, the altar, 2 October 1940

St. Mark's Church, the altar, 2 October 1940

5, 7, 9 Victoria Avenue, 27 September 1940

5, 7, 9 Victoria Avenue, 27 September 1940

10 and 12 Elmbridge Avenue, 9 September 1940

10 and 12 Elmbridge Avenue, 9 September 1940

174-6 Tolworth Rise, 9 September 1940

174-6 Tolworth Rise, 9 September 1940

76 and 78 Ewell Road, 3 November 1940

76 and 78 Ewell Road, 3 November 1940

Isolation Hospital, 17 November 1940

Isolation Hospital, 17 November 1940

Junction of Kingston Rd and Elm Rd, New Malden showing bomb damage

Junction of Kingston Rd and Elm Rd, New Malden showing bomb damage

Rear of 298 and 300 Ewell Rd, 28 July 1941

Rear of 298 and 300 Ewell Rd, 28 July 1941

300-312 Ewell Road, 28 July 1941

300-312 Ewell Road, 28 July 1941

Unexploded bomb at corner of The Crescent and Mount Pleasant Rd, New Malden 1941

Unexploded bomb at corner of The Crescent and Mount Pleasant Rd, New Malden 1941

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

St. Andrew's parish hall, 21 August 1944

St. Andrew's parish hall, 21 August 1944

Balaclava Road, 21 August 1944

Balaclava Road, 21 August 1944

Derby Road, 5 October 1944

Derby Road, 5 October 1944

Tolworth Park Road, 17 June 1944

Tolworth Park Road, 17 June 1944

Elmbridge Ave, 5 July 1944

Elmbridge Ave, 5 July 1944

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

Bomb damage in South Lane area, 1940, New Malden

The Blitz and Bomb Damage

One of the first raids was on 16 August 1940. German planes bombed and machine gunned the area around New Malden Station, killing 80 civilians and injuring many more. The raid took place just as a train was drawing up in the station. It was the first, and one of the most shocking of all the bombing raids on the district.

On 2 October 1940 , St. Mark's Church in Surbiton, was gutted by an oil bomb. Censorship restrictions meant that the event was not reported in the local press until December.

In the latter years of the war, the air raids stopped, but rocket attacks started. At 2.35pm on 22 January 1945 , a V2 rocket dropped at the junction of Park Road and New Road , Kingston . There was no warning. Over 2000 houses were damaged.