Wandsworth Heritage Library has in its collection:a) the original warden reports and maps of all bomb damage in Putney.b) a list of the civilians killed in these attacks.As far as I know, all bomb-sites in Putney have since been used for development, except for the Pocket Park at the corner of Upper Richmond Rd/Charlwood. Many of the sites were initially used for the location of "Wates" prefabs, which themselves have since been converted or replaced.Although the major incidents with by far the greatest loss of life were at the "Cinderella Club" in the High St, the "Castle Pub" in Putney Bridge Rd, and where the Pocket Park is now located, most areas of Putney were to suffer from War damage to varying degrees. Below is just an example, using the block between Upper Richmond Rd to the north, Chartfield to the south, Gwendolen to the west, and Putney Hill to the east.In 7/44 Nos.8 & 9 Burston, along with 25 & 27 St John's Avenue, were destroye when a V1 landed in the roadway outside 25 St John's. Six residents were injured. Post-War the site was used for the prefabs of 1-4 Burston Villas, fronting onto the north-side of St John's, and the prefabs of 25/25a/27/27a on the south-side of St John's. It is interesting to see that the prefabs of 27/27a were replaced in 1995 by modern houses partly reflecting the grandeur of the original villas. Blast damage from the V1 affected many other houses in the area, as well as "St John's Church", which lost most of its stained glass windows, and which did not reopen until 1948.In 11/40 a stick of bombs destroyed what was then 55 St John's at its south-west corner with Gwendolen and 25 Cambalt at its north-west corner with Gwendolen. Post-War the combined site was used for 10 prefabs, fronting onto Gwendolen and Cambalt. The same stick also destroyed 41 Gwendolen, replaced post-War with 41 & 41a, and caused serious damage to 25 Gwendolen, the then numbered 49 St John's, and the "Bungalow", home of Lady Westbury on the south-side of Chartfield. Post-War this house and its extensive grounds, along with 12 Chartfield and the neighbouring villa of "Mallards", which were themselves both seriously damaged by a bomb in 2/44, were used for the construction of the "Lower Ashburton Council Estate" flats between Westleigh and Chartfield.Gwendolen also lost No.33 on another night in 11/40, with the site of this house and the seriously damaged 31 being used post-War for the prefabs of 31 & 33 Gwendolen and 1-4 Gwendolen Close. The same bomb seriously damaged 29 Gwendolen, patched up after the War, and caused minor damage to 35 Gwendolen and 24 Cambalt.Along the south-side of Upper Richmond Rd, the old Police Station and the Section House to its rear were damaged by two separate bombs during 9/40, causing the death of a sergeant from Wymond St. One attack was the same stick that destroyed "Puttock's Garage" on the north-side of the road, where the new "Putney Hotel" is now located, while the other attack was part of the stick that destroyed "Mathias' Drapery Store", also on the north-side of the road, and now the site of "Putneymead Medical Centre".Blast damage in URR was also caused from these two attacks at the "Union Church" (now "Putney Arts Theatre"), and at the "Exchange" shops between the Church and the Police Station, while the houses and "Methodist Church" between the Station and Gwendolen were to suffer blast damage from the V1 that landed in 6/44 where "Jordan House" and the Pocket Park are now located on the north-side of the road.Other damage in this small block of roads during the War included slight damage to No.1 Chartfield, and a UXB crashing through the roof to the cellar of 3 Chartfield in 2/44, defused several days later (both villas since replaced by Chartfield Square); a bomb in the rear garden of 18 Gwendolen in 2/44, which destroyed the neighbouring green houses of "Mahood's Nursery", now the site of Nursery Close; serious damage in 2/41 to 38 Putney Hill (since replaced with the "Suffolk House" flats); a UXB in the roadway at the corner of Gwendolen and Chartfield in 11/40; a delayed action bomb in 2/41 in the back garden of 2 Cambalt; and a UXB in 3/44 at 5 Burston.If any Forum members are interested in knowing what bomb damage happened in the streets around their house, then, if I've got the information, I'm happy to consult my notes, and send a reply.
David Johns ● 1861d