West Ridge History | 1939-1945
During the war, the entire area of Chipstead was heavily bombed, due to its close proximity to Croydon and London.
At the height of the war more than 10 flying bombs an hour could be seen passing overhead. With a total of 12 falling on the village.
Chipstead golf course housed a radar station, and a large number of troops were stationed across the area.
At West Ridge life was certainly impacted. With memories taken directly from an interview Brian gave in 1997.
Days before the war, they would have carol singers visit the house.
In summer 1940, the chauffeur was to meet the family in London and bring them home. On the way up, Purley Way was bombed, and a sewing machine factory hit. The chauffeur had bits of sewing machine landing in his car and was very shocked. So shocked in fact, he could not continue the journey.
Sirens used to go off and the gardener and his wife would become panic stricken. Everyone had to go to the shelter in the garden (West Ridge has two bomb shelters from the war period in its grounds). Brian’s mother refused to go in.
Often, Brian and his father would go on the golf course and saw the planes going over to Kenley and Biggin Hill on bombing raids. A bit too close for comfort his father would often say.
Ultimately, they would purchase a house in Chesham Bois, Amersham, where they went to live for the duration of the war. The just ‘packed up’ after the ‘all clear’ one day and took 2 cars and a trailer packed with what they could.
The house was then let out to the Canadian Army, with it being used as the headquarters for the generals. Some damage was done to the house by the occupants, but throughout the war the families valuables were locked in the Drawing Room.
When the family returned, they found the batman* and others had put camp beds out on the garden and covered them in ‘mother’s’ best silk cushions.
They also recalled one occasion when a one soldier came back late at night. Not able to get into the house, he broke in to the garage and slept in the family car overnight, a Buick 36. He put two cigarette burns in the car seat.
Car similar from the era to a Buick 36
The drive to the house was also damaged by large 3 tonne lorries which were used to deliver to the house.
Damage from the bombs
Unfortunately, the house didn’t escape unscathed from the war.
Brian had memories of incendiary bombs landing on the roof of the house and catching fire. Luckily some were faulty.
The swimming pool was kept full and taken as static water supply to firefight. At the end of the war, when the pool was emptied, they found many devices in the bottom.
At one point an incendiary set fire to one of the chimney’s, which may explain the different style of the chimney today, compared to the original picture. The roads were too icy, and whilst they could hear the fire engine it was largely unable to get to the house and up the drive. The family was then required to extinguish the fire themselves.
