Doodlebug Collection

Damage to Fetter Lane, London following a V1 explosion in the capital. 19th July 1944

Antlion, Palpares libelluloides. Handcoloured lithograph from John O. Westwoods new edition of Dru Drurys Illustrations of Exotic Entomology, Bohn, London, 1837. Antlion, Palpares libelluloides

Illustration of an Ant Lion catching its prey, 1790 (hand coloured engraving)
937195 Illustration of an Ant Lion catching its prey, 1790 (hand coloured engraving) by Schmuzer, Jacob Xavier (1733-1811); Private Collection; (add.info.: Antlion)

The clear up operation and the search for survivors and victims of the first V1 attack on the Grove Road railway bridge, Mile End, London. 14th June 1944

Their home destroyed by a German V-1 flying bomb, the Metcalf family carrying on with their usual routine of bacon for breakfast around the kitchen table amidst the chaos

Kentish Town residents survey the damage caused by a V1 from a window which lost its glass in the blast. 19th June 1944

Members of the LCC salvage squad and members of the ARP search the rubble of a V1 detonation site in Kentish Town. 19th June 1944

Fire fighters and emergency workers fight a fire at Brown Brothers, Great Eastern Street, Islington, London, following the detonation of a V1. 26th July 1944

For the first time, Northern England received an attack by a flying bomb in the early hours of 24th December 1944, Christmas eve

Scene at Staple Inn, Holborn, destroyed in a robot flying bomb raid. Second World War. Circa 1944

The Buzz Bomb Dog. "Bill"the heavy rescue mascot working with his colleagues
The Buzz Bomb Dog. " Bill" the heavy rescue mascot working with his colleagues on the blitz site in southern England today. July 1944 P015143

WW2 poster, Flying Bomb or Doodlebug
WW2 Air Ministry poster, Flying Bomb or Doodlebug seen in cross-section. Date: 1944

Buzz Bomb Damage - July 1944
Workers start to clear the rubble. Ruined building in the background. George Garland Collection West Sussex Record Office Ref. No. Garland N23474

V-1 and V-2 rockets
German V-1 and V-2 World War II rockets on display at the National Air & Space Museum, Washington DC. The V-1 (Vergeltungswaffe/Vengeance Weapon-1), known in England as the Doodlebug

Antlion larva, SEM
Antlion larva, coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM). The larval form of this insect (family Myrmeleontide) lives at the bottom of a cone shaped hole

V1 bomb counter measures committee, 1944
The chairmen of the war cabinet committee on operational counter measures against the " flying bomb" or V1: Mr. Duncan Sandys, M.P(centre), with leaders who directed the battle

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During World War II, the term "doodlebug" was commonly used to refer to the V-1 flying bomb or cruise missile. These deadly weapons were created by Gerhard Fieseler Werke GmbH and wreaked havoc during the war. The doodlebug, also known as Fi 103 or FZG 76, was a terrifying sight in the skies. It resembled a small airplane with wings and had an ominous buzzing sound that struck fear into the hearts of those who heard it approaching. Just like an antlion patiently waiting for its prey, these doodlebugs would fly over cities and release their destructive payload. The damage caused by their explosions was devastating, as seen in images of destroyed homes and buildings in London's Fetter Lane and Staple Inn. Despite the destruction they caused, brave individuals carried on amidst adversity. The Metcalf family continued their lives after their home was destroyed by one of these German bombs. Kentish Town residents surveyed the damage from windows that had lost their glass due to a nearby explosion. In response to these attacks, members of the LCC salvage squad and ARP tirelessly searched through rubble for survivors and victims. Firefighters and emergency workers fought bravely against fires ignited by doodlebug explosions at places like Brown Brothers on Great Eastern Street. While initially concentrated in southern England, even Northern England experienced its first flying bomb attack during this time period. This marked a significant shift in tactics employed by Germany during the war. The era captured in illustrations from 1790 seems worlds apart from scenes of devastation caused by doodlebugs just over a century later. However, both serve as reminders of humanity's resilience when faced with adversity – whether it be surviving an antlion's trap or rebuilding communities torn apart by war.