Saturday 6th June will be a very special occasion on the Hazelhurst Estate in Tooting.

Two brothers from the area will be unveiling a Green Heritage Plaque in memory of the 34 victims of a V2 rocket which landed on that spot at 8.30am on Sunday 19th November 1944.

Peter, an elderly Tooting resident described the moment – he remembers a blue flash and a deafening “WHUMP!” which shook his house. The two boys at 44 Hazelhurst Road, Arthur aged 14, and John aged 8, woke up and found themselves looking at the sky. The roof was blown off their house. They walked out unscathed but very sadly their grandmother was killed and their father was blinded. Fourteen of the dead were children and they lost quite a few of their friends. Amongst the other victims was Doug Kitts, an escaped P.O.W. who had made his way home and was due to rejoin his regiment the following week.

The Summerstown182 Project invites local people to attend the ceremony at 4.00pm opposite the entrance to Smallwood School. Afterwards there will be tea and reminiscences at St Mary's Church on Wimbledon Road, where there is also a small related exhibition. This was one of the most devastating bombing incidents in Wandsworth in the Second World War, but has been largely forgotten. A lot of people living locally knew nothing about it until a seventieth anniversary remembrance last year. Geoff Simmons of Summerstown 182 says, “We are very honoured to have a Green Plaque in our neighbourhood and are pleased that the council have decided to acknowledge the event in this way. Please do spread the word to any elderly friends or neighbours who might not find out this is happening. It is important that everyone knows.”