Evening star., 1945-05-20


a disintegrating roar as the blast tore
down buildings and the earth trembled.
But eventually the explosions attracted
little attention unless they were very
close.
Dug Deep Craters
was in restaurant when rocket
fell about half a mile away. Tables
danced, dishes and glasses ratified, but
the deadpan expression of the waiter
never changed.
1t was 6:45 pm, September 8, 1914,
when the first rocket landed in field
south of London. A few seconds later
another struck suburban Chiswick and
was heard all over London. 1t dug
crater 40 feet deep and 20 feet across,
. razing nine houses and damaging more.
Three people were killed and 10 seriously
injured
People discussed it in wonder, just as
though they didn't know it was W..
There had been many official warnings
of the rockets existence, but, schooled
to security, the public maintained a
battling silence The detonations were
jokingly referred to as exploding gas
mains" One whole block of houses
might be torn down and the papers
would merely carry brief communique
stating there had been enemy air
activity"
Seventeen in One Day
Not all of the explosions came from
V2s, however. 1t was later revealed
that 15-inch naval shells were being
detonated in safe areas to confuse enemy
agents who might be trying to locate the
fall of the rockets. The Germans were
never able to correct their range sufi-
ciently to concentrate on any specific
target.
In all, 1850 gas mains" arrived. The
attack reached its crescendo of II
during one week in February. Seventeen
was the highest number in one day.
Hundreds of others were fired but failed
to get here.
They killed 2,754 persons and seriously
injured 6,523, an average of three killed
and six injured per rocket. No main
railway station was hit and few essential
buildings damaged.
Friction as they sped earthward from
staggering height of go miles caused
many of the rockets to turn red hot
and explode prematurely in the air.
One burst harmlesSly almost directly
over the Houses of Parliament; another
over the Ministry of Information, the
latter leaving telltale smoke ring less
than 5000 feet overhead.
1t Had Brain
Although W. itself was As feet long,
Its brain" was no bigger than a base
ball. Inside metal container were two
tiny electric motors, gyfo and set of
controls. Each motor was about the
size of thimble. The armature was
balanced on two midget bearings about
the size of pinheads.
American and British engineers de-
scribed it as "one of the most outstand-
ing engineering feats of the century"
1T is the best example yet of the
Germans devilish ingenuity and engi-
neering skill" declared one engineer.
The early model rockets used by the
Nazis were radio controlled
They Were Getting Fiercer
Two of the worst rocket tragedies oc-
Cured in the same East Side district,
already the most beaten-up part of Lon
don. One wrecked a Woolworth store,
killing 160 and injuring 108 people
Seven adjoining stores and shops were
demolished. The other one-the last ex-
plosion in London-wrecked a large
working-class apartment house, killing
131 and injuring So.
In both instances the little neighbor-
hood streets looked like battlefields by
the time rescue workers arrived.
Hundreds of lives were saved by fate.
One W. landed in the famous soapbox
orators corner at Hyde Park on a Sum
day morning when few were around. II
1t had been midafternoon, when thou
sands gather there to hear the speakers,
1t would likely have been Lorldon's worst
war tragedy.
Another rocket fell behind the stage of
theater. The orchestra was drenched
by deluge from broken water tank,
but the show Robinson Crusoe"-
went on.
Londoners can believe, if no one else
can, that these missiles were not freaks,
and that If the world permits another
war the rockets of the future might end
the life of vast community in few
hours.