World War 2 - September 1944

September

Four days after the capture of Antwerp on September 4th. the Germans launched the first V2 rocket attack against London. The V2, unlike the V1, gave no warning of its approach therefore no defence was possible. The attacks continued until the end of November and it is a belief that a V2 fell in Windsor Forest.  A defence measure against the V1's involved the deployment of anti-aircraft batteries to the south coast and those which had manned many of the sites around the Windsor - Slough district moved to become part of the defences. Sections of 608 battery went to Folkstone where they were credited with the shooting down of 102 V1 flying bombs.  

V I  [Doodlebug] flying bomb attacks 

over Bucks and Berks 1944—45

Later volunteers from 183 Regiment Batteries went to Belgium to defend Antwerp against the V1's.  

Although the blackout was still in force limited street lighting was allowed for the winter of 1944.  The observations of the local police considered that the street lighting at Eton was too bright and prevailed upon the local authority to reduce the intensity. At first the lights were turned off at night but as there was very little risk of enemy bombing at that stage of the war people asked if the street lights could be on early in the  morning. Workers on early morning shifts complained that the dark winter mornings were hazardous, with  Keates lane particularly  dangerous, it was surprising  that only one College boys had been accidentally killed. After an inspection of the street lighting the surveyor arranged for selected lights to stay on until the lighter mornings arrived. Limited lighting lasted until 20th April 1945 when the end of the blackout was announced.                   

The prospect of `Victory in Europe’ gave cause for Eton U.D.C. to discuss plans for the building of new houses in Eton Wick. The local building companies of Slough and Windsor were also considering post war construction and informed the Council that they were now able to carry out the preparation of sites and construction of houses if the necessary licenses were obtained. To quickly provide the estimated four million homes needed to replace air raid destruction and house returning servicemen and their families, some aircraft factories changed over to the manufacture of prefabricated housing. The 'Prefabs` were fitted out with all electric appliances, such as electric cooker and refrigerator and electric heating. 

This is an extract from Round and About Eton Wick: 1939 - 1945. The book was researched, written and published in 2001 by John Denham.