Doodle bugs

Just as everything seemed to be going nicely for us, the Germans introduced the V weapons. The VI was a flying bomb, about a ton of high explosive, propelled by a rocked motor. Although aimed for London several of thse missiles came over Downham. I remember one night which would be about 1944, seeing one of these flying bombs approaching from the east. They were easy to identify as the rocket motor made a roaring noise and the flame at the back was easily visible in the night sky. This one started to splutter as it approached our house. I thought we were going to "cop" itas when the motor stopped they crashed and exploded. Luckily this one picked up again and flew on to crash at Sutton Gault, in open country.

Of the V2 rockets we saw nothing here although they created havoc in London. The evacuees who had returned to London when the Blitz had filaed to reduce this country to a pile of rubble, started to filter back to the comparative safety of the countryside. But the V weapon onslaught was shortlived as the advancing armies of the allies overran their launching sites.