Direct Hit: the Guards Chapel
On the morning of Sunday 18 June, 1944, the Guards Chapel in Wellington Barracks suffered a direct hit from a V1 flying bomb. The building was all but destroyed. It was packed with worshippers, 121 of whom were killed and a further 141 injured – soldiers and civilians alike. The enemy could not have dreamed of a more fortuitous result, given the totally random nature of flying bombs.
Supported by donations from many branches of the armed forces – notably I’m proud to say South Africans and Rhodesians – the chapel was re-built and re-opened in 1963. It’s well worth a visit, as is the Guards Museum next door.
There’s a good report of this incident here.
My great-grandfather was with the Coldstream Guards throughout the Second World War. On 18th June 1944, he was supposed to join the congregation for the service in the Guards Chapel but was posted on duty at the last minute. Whilst I’m relieved that he escaped this horrible fate, it’s awful to think that he would have lost many close friends and comrades in this tragic event. This is certainly a day of reflection for me.
Wow, Luke, that’s quite a story, good to have such a direct connection, thanks for posting.
My Dad, a grenadier guardsman Donald Keen, also should have been at the service that morning, but took leave to take out his girlfriend and former nurse, Helen, who much later became my Mum. Dad spoke very little about the war or that event, but we did visit the chapel together around 1979, as part of a weekend in London to celebrate his retirement. He talked about returning later that day to find the chapel destroyed and then joining the excavation to try to find survivors.
You’re welcome, Mike. Other than ‘dry’ dates, I know relatively little about his military service – but this is one story that has been passed down through the generations. No wonder he never wanted to talk about his experiences.
I am Shane Duffy in Christchurch NZ .I am in possession of a Dr’s Shakespeare’s Birthday Book owned by Dr Thomas Leslie Crooke 1861-1943, a pioneer surgeon, dr and musician who came and settled in NZ in 1899.
His sister Olive Louisa Crooke 1874-1944 a pioneer pharmacist trained under Sophie J Blake to NZ serving in WW1 and many places around the world returned home to the UK and became a victim in the bombing of the Queen’s Gaurd’s Chapel on June 26 1944
Olive L Crooke was known as an inspiration to all women taking up this field of work and was deeply missed by NZ society.
Thanks, Shane. Interesting and poignant story.
Thanks Mike.The men in the Crooke family all served invarious wars, Thomas and Olive lost all their Brother;’s in service..their Father Milward Crooke was a Chaplain in the Crimean War.
Ms Jan Gore in the UK is writing a book on the Queen’s Gaurd’s Chapel.
It’s a shame then V bomb took the lives of so many this fateful day.I woould never have known this history in NZ if the Dr’s Birtday Book hadn’t of found me and Olive L Crooke became part of my now life’s study.
Just how wonderful is that Chapel – I am a catholic retired pensioner – the wife and I really enjoyed the service and “felt” the history