- Contributed byÌý
- Gloscat Home Front
- People in story:Ìý
- John Cork
- Location of story:Ìý
- Dover
- Background to story:Ìý
- Civilian
- Article ID:Ìý
- A4608777
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 29 July 2005
Flying Bombs — V1
Sunday 13 August 1944 — 00.19 hrs.
The first flying bomb mentioned in the record incidents appeared on this day.
Friday 1st September 1944 — 07.18
The last V1 launched from the Pas-De-Calais was shot down over Hythe. The last one to land on Dover was on the last day of August.
We first hear these and then there is a silence followed by a loud bang. At first we wondered what they were. Then we saw them in the sky. Many passed over the town but a great number were shot down by either ack-ack guns on the cliff tops or by aircraft.
When we heard them it alright but when they went silent, we ran for shelter as we knew they were coming down to explode.
Sometime we saw an amazing sight — a fighter place would come out of a steep dive to gain speed and fly along side the V1. Then he would place his wing under or over the V1’s wing and by tapping it would cause it to turn and sometimes it went back to France. It did not happen often but when it did we let out a big cheer.
© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo