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Between the years of 1944-1945 the German Luftwaffe was bombarding East London with their V1 rockets, also known as 'Buzz Bombs' and 'Doodle Bugs'.
It was frightening to hear these bombs making a terrible buzzing noise above you, wrote Bob Margetson, but it was more frightening when the buzzing stopped, as this was when the bombs were about to land and explode, causing untold damage to buildings, not to mention the killing and injuring of people that got in their way.
I can clearly remember the worst V1 incident, which occurred in early February 1945. I was living in Union Street. Stratford, East London and was six and a half years of age at the time.
My dad had served in the Merchant Navy for almost 20 years before joining the Royal Navy where he served about 9 years before being invalided out from his service in 1941.
One of his hobbies was to make wooden models of the ships that he had sailed on. On this particular February day in 1945 I sat by dad's side and was watching him working on one of his models. We were in the living room, which was at the rear of the house.
It was a bright day so the room was well lit until all of a sudden the room went completely dark for a few seconds.
With this, dad and I ran through to the scullery and out the back door into the yard and looked skyward.
I saw what I thought was a large black dog and said, 'Look dad! There's a big dog up there!'
Dad turned to me and replied, 'That's not a dog, it's a Doodle Bug!' and ushered me swiftly back inside the house.
The rocket was still buzzing as it passed over the house and then for a minute or so everything went quiet until we heard this huge explosion.
In between what was going on dad told me that he was very concerned about mum and Roy (my brother), as at the time they were shopping in Angel Lane, Stratford, 2 miles from where we lived.
According to dad's reckoning the bomb was heading in the direction of Angel Lane, hence his concern over mum and Roy. Dad was so relieved when they both arrived home several minutes later, unscathed but shocked.
Apparently the bomb had landed in Barnby Street, West Ham, which was about half a mile away from Angel Lane. We later heard that scores of people were killed and as many were injured.
As this was the very first time I saw a V1 rocket, I thought it was a dog. Why, I don't know? Possibly it was my young eyes playing tricks on me. What I do know is that it's a memory that has been with me for 56 years; one that I shall never forget.
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