EPW006161 ENGLAND (1921). St James's Park and Whitehall, Westminster, from the south-west, 1921

waterloo bridge

the royal horseguards hotel

New Montagu House, built by the 5th Duke of Buccleuch

Guards Chapel Wellington Barracks. On Sunday 18 June 1944, the chapel was hit by a V1 bomb. If the Luftwaffe could have chosen a target none would have been better than the Guards Chapel. It stood in Bird Cage Walk, St James and was the home of the Royal Guardsmen based at the Wellington Barracks. The church was packed that morning with Guardsmen, their families and friends. Just past 11.00 a.m. Not long after the service started, the congregation heard a distant buzzing. It gradually grew louder and turned into a roar overhead which drowned out the hymn singing. The engine cut out and the V1 glided down and hit the roof of the chapel. This was made of concrete, having been rebuilt after damage by incendiary bombs in the blitz. The V1 exploded on impact and the whole roof collapsed on the congregation. Rubble was piled up to 10 foot deep in parts. 121 military and civilians were killed and 141 seriously injured. Only the Bishop of Maidstone, who was conducting the service was totally unhurt. The altar from which he was conducting the service was covered by a portico which sheltered him from the blast. Legend has it that after the explosion the alter candles were still burning. It took 2 days to dig the dead and injured out of the devastation In 1963 the new Chapel, containing the original apse, which had escaped destruction, was dedicated and opened for worship.

Cleopatra's Needle

Hungerford Bridge

Marlborough House (now the HQ of The Commonwealth)

Temporary First World War buildings used as Government offices

King Charles Street, 21/05/2014

Leicester Square Garden

Saint Martin in the Fields

Saint James's Square

Parliament Square

Waterloo Place

Charing Cross Railway Station

National Gallery

Buckingham Palace

Green Park

Constitution Hill

Southbank

Waterloo Bridge

Wellington Barracks

Houses of Parliament

Saint James's Park

Birdcage Walk

Houses of Parliament

Whitehall

Trafalgar Square

Saint James's Park

Horse Guards Parade

The Mall

Buckingham Palace

Adimrality arch

Horse guards

buckingham palace

Trafalgar square