Hendon Bombing, 1941

On the night of 13th February 1941 a single bomb dropped on West Hendon, killing 85 people, injuring hundreds and making over 1000 homeless. Photographs of the devastation can still be found in history books about Hendon.
My father, Trevor Holman, had his own theory about why this deadly bomb was dropped. In early 1941 he was an 18-year old trainee technician, still living at Elstree (prior to joining the RAF). On the night of 13th Feb '41 he and his family heard a single German bomber plane flowing over Elstree; within seconds anti-aircraft guns nearby opened up a "tremendous barrage"; there was quiet for a minute or two, and then the sound of a distant explosion - the bomb dropping on West Hendon.
Dad's theory was that just south of Elstree were several factories which produced "Mosquito" aircraft fuselages. These factories were the actual target of the German plane that night, but it was distracted by the anti-aircraft fire. Shortly afterwards its pilot saw the water of the Welsh Harp in Hendon, assumed it was the Aldenham Reservoir (in Elstree) and dropped the bomb.
This is an interesting theory which I have not seen anywhere else, so thought I would share it with you!

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