Croydon's First V2 - Sunny Bank, South Norwood

On 20th October, 1944, at 20.09hrs, Batt.2./Art.Abt.(mot) 485 under the command of Hauptmann Neusch, launched the first V2 to land in the Croydon area.

It hit houses in Regina Rd / Sunny Bank, South Norwood, during a rainy evening at 20.14pm and, “exploded under the foundations with such as force that the houses simply disappeared leaving behind only a water filled crater 23 feet in diameter and 14 feet deep”. Six civilians were killed and fourteen seriously injured. Several people were trapped in the debris and a detector dog was brought in from Chelsea to assist the rescuers.

The casualties were as follows:

JOAN DOUGLAS CAMERON BOWDEN, Aged 28,
was a Red Cross nurse. She was the daughter of Peter Cameron Douglas Castle and Nellie Hudson Wynne Castle, of 12 Regina Road; wife of Capt. Terence Lake Bowden, R.A. Died at Regina Rd.

CHARLES ALFRED JUPP, Aged 51,
of 7 Sunny Bank, South Norwood. He was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. C. Jupp; husband of Florence May Jupp. Died at 7 Sunny Bank.

FLORENCE MAY JUPP, Aged 49,
of 7 Sunny Bank, South Norwood, was the daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. H. Ecott; wife of Charles Alfred Jupp. Died at 7 Sunny Bank.

GEOFFREY RAYMOND JUPP, Aged 6,
of 7 Sunny Bank, South Norwood, was the son of Charles Alfred and Florence May Jupp. Died at 7 Sunny Bank.

GERTRUDE KATE THORPE, Aged 54,
of 8 Sunny Bank, South Norwood, was the widow of Frank Thorpe. Died at 8 Sunny Bank.

IDA BETTY THORPE, Aged 28,
of 8 Sunny Bank, South Norwood, was the daughter of Gertrude Kate, and of the late Frank Thorpe. Injured 20 October 1944, at 8 Sunny Bank; died same day at General Hospital.

Rest in peace..