Friern Barnet and Finchley Photo Archive

i think there was one in the grounds of STC. Not sure if it was real or a replica anyone
remember???

At 8.00am on 23 August 1944 a V1 fell between Building 6 and Building 8 at STC leaving a crater 4 feet deep and 12 feet wide and killing 33 and injuring 200. During WWII STC employed 10,500 people at New Southgate

thanks for the info on the bug' imrpact but I remember seeing an actual doodlebug in the grounds of S T C I think overlooking the railway lines ? !!!!

Iremember that V1 that ended up on the STC. A boyhood friend (Patrick Murray) his father was killed in that bombing. My sister worked there and after the war ended she got me an apprenticeship there

I recall being on a bus, probably a 649, to school, in 1944. We, the passengers, heard the sound of a doodlebug coming towards us. The bus immediately breaded and came to a stop. Everyone on the bus became quiet listening to the overhead engine noise. I think most of us were holding our breath. The V1 came nearer but passed over us before its engine cut out. We breathed a joint sigh of relief. We knew that if the engine cut out overhead or after that we were safe; the trajectory of the V1 was a forward arc as the explosive dropped. This truly was a psychological weapon. For anyone interested in the V1 the novel V1 by Thomas Harris is an interesting read. Thanks for the pictures and info you sent, David. I want to reply but seem to have accidently erased your email address. Would you please resend it. Thank you

hi berenice thanks for the info and your memiories. I lived at 302 Oakleigh Road went to St Pauls then Holly Park etc and left UK for Aust and East Asia, Africa etc aged 18 now 75 live in Nth Qld retired. Does anyone remember the doodle bug in the grounds of STC model replica? whatever thanks
davebedford45@gmail.com

David Mudd. The pictures and info you sent were wonderful. I’d like to thank you and your mother. I seem to have erased your email address; would you please resend it so that I can write again. Thank you.

I lived in Victor House Oakleigh Road North, cnr of Marlborough Gdns looking out to STC but was a babe in arms then. There was a bomb shelter on the grass in front of our block. My Mum used to take me down there when air raids were on but later just grabbed me as the siren went and went under the dining table. Many years later, I asked her why she stopped using the shelter and she said a neighbour had the worst possible halitosis and she couldn't stand it any more!

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