An extraordinary ceremony at Hazelhurst Road, Tooting on Saturday 6th June saw the unveiling of a Green Plaque in memory of the 35 victims of a V2 rocket which landed there on 19th November 1944.

Local people crowded the area between Smallwood School and Sutton Courtenay House to see the Mayor of Wandsworth and John and Arthur Keeley pull off a cloth to reveal the borough's ninth heritage plaque.
 

Two brothers had lived at 44 Hazelhurst Road, one of the houses destroyed by the bomb. They recall fire service personnel helping them out of their crumbling home. The families of many of the victims attended on Saturday, many travelling a long way to be there. Before the ceremony they all participated in a walk to visit the graves in Streatham Cemetery. In an extraordinary twist, Leslie Rogers from South Wimbledon produced a cutting from the Daily Herald describing how as a twelve year old he 'kept guard' whilst firemen pulled a trapped family out of the rubble. The article mentioned a 4 year old child called Maureen being the last to be rescued. Maureen later laid a wreath at the plaque in memory of her brother and sister, Billy and Betty Ackerman and all the civilian victims that day. It was an afternoon of deep and very real emotion, but fittingly on the 71st Anniversary of DDay, a wonderful salute to the 1939-45 generation whose lives were so affected by that conflict.

A crew from Tooting Fire Station were present to acknowledge the service of the London Fire Brigade on that day. Their local base at the time was in the school directly opposite, and this proximity probably saved many lives. So many people mentioned how appropriate they thought it was to have LFB present on Saturday and how much they appreciated it. In another first hand account from November 1944, 78-year old Roy Gilbert recalled his rescue: “Me and my brother Frankie got pulled out by firemen in our nightshirts. Our baby sister Irene was in the bottom drawer of a wardrobe and when the blast pushed it over, the door wedged and saved her”.

Another wreath was laid by Staff Sergeant Kelly of the Signals Corps, the same regiment that was served in by escaped POW Douglas Kitts, who was killed at his cousin Charlie’s home at number 36. He was due to rejoin them a few days later. Sadiq Khan MP read out a letter which Doug wrote to Charlie just a few weeks before the bomb fell.
 

Event organiser Geoff Simmons described what happened that day and what having a plaque means: “This is a tribute to the people of this neighbourhood, those who fought fascism and those at home who manned the factories and put food on the table. They gave up their youth, they gave up their homes and in many cases their lives.”

A poem written especially for the occasion was read out by Kie Boreham, a Year 4 pupil from Smallwood School. It was a poignant moment as he stood in front of John Keeley who was perhaps reflecting that he was that age when he was pulled from the wreckage.

Pipe Sergeant Charles Mackie from the London Irish Rifles provided a stirring pipe finale leading 300 people down Hazelhurst Road to St Mary's Church. Here, memories were exchanged and friendships from many years ago renewed. It was an extraordinary day that will never be forgotten on the Hazelhurst estate, but one that will always be remembered by the sight of a Green Plaque.

Join Geoff on the next Summerstown182 Walk on Saturday 27th June, starting outside St Mary's Church at 2pm.