Wanstead Park

Wartime Aspects

Bomb damage to the Heronry Pond in Wanstead Park

The following is taken from It Happened Here: The Story of Civil Defence in Wanstead and Woodford 1939-1945 by Stanley Tiguet:

"Marine William Webb, 21, of Belgrave Road, Wanstead, home on leave after taking part in the D-Day landing was boating in Wanstead Park with a young woman friend on July 2 (1944) when a flying bomb fell and killed them both".

As the boating lake at this time was the Heronry Pond, it may be assumed that this incident gives rise to the reports that the lake has not held water since it was hit by a bomb during the war. (see diagram)

A diagram of war damage in Wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats is also available by clicking here

Some account of wartime damage in the south Wanstead area is available by clicking here

Bomb crater by Chalet Wood, Wanstead Park

In the early 1990's, clearance of undergrowth at the south edge of Chalet Wood in preparation for the planting of a double row of Sweet Chestnut trees exposed to full view a crater, presumably made by some form of bomb. Ted Godden, a resident of Aldersbrook and Wren Group member, recalled taking photographs of a bomb-crater shortly after the device had fallen, with views of himself and of his brother standing in the hole. The picture to the left (below) is a copy of one of the originals, and that to the right was taken from apparently the same viewpoint in 2000.