Doodlebugs and nosegays - an explanation

The title was chosen because it referred to what for me were important symbols of the time - and because it sounded good . . .

DOODLEBUGS
In June 1944, a few days after D-Day, Hitler launched the first of more than 9,000 V-1 vergeltungswaffen (vengence weapons) at the London area with just enough fuel to reach their target before crashing and exploding. On the ground you were safe so long as you could hear the raspy noise of its primitive jet engine. When fuel ran out fingers were crossed for the 5 to 10 seconds silence until it hit the ground.
Fortunately, fewer than 2,500 doodlebugs reached their target. Almost 2,000 of those destroyed en route were brought down by RAF and allied pilots. Many bravely flew their fighters alongside and edged the tip of one wing beneath that of the V-1. The disturbed airflow tipped the V-1 over to one side and displaced its gyroscopic directional control, causing it to fall to earth.





The V-2 was even more frightening because its targets were random and its approach noiseless. This rocket reached supersonic speed during its flight across the English Channel. If you were lucky you heard two bangs - the sonic boom and the explosion when it hit the ground. The longer the time between bangs, the further away it had fallen. A little like the thunder and lightning effect. Hearing simultaneous bangs meant that you had survived a very near miss.







NOSEGAYS

Smoking was a naughty thing to be doing at that age, but it had none of today's terrible health stigma attached. Nosegay ‘gaspers’ were the smokes of choice during school years. Mainly because it was one of the cheapest brands and I seem to remember that they were available in ‘refill’ packs of 5 or 10. These paper wrappers were part of the war effort to save the tin foil and cardboard used in the regular packets. If we were broke AND lucky, we might find a tobacconist who’d split a pack and sell us singles!

tags: schooldays  doodlebugs  ww2  blitz