Monument record TR 05 SW 177 - V1 crash sites at King's Wood, Challock

On 15 August 1944, a V-1 flying-bomb was shot down by Flight Sergeant Bargielowski of 315 Squadron over King’s Wood, Challock, Kent. The bomb crashed into a coppiced chestnut area, creating a crater but causing no casualties. Archival records, including the Kent War Diary and RAF Operations Record Book, confirm the event, and post-war aerial photography shows the impact site.

The investigation at King’s Wood began with an initial site survey on 20 April 2021, using landscape assessment, magnetometer, and metal detector surveys to identify and confirm the V-1 impact crater. The team measured the crater’s dimensions, excavated four metallic V-1 fragments from the topsoil, and recorded 52 additional unexcavated metallic signals with GPS. A second nearby crater was surveyed on 26 April 2021 but found unrelated. The approach prioritized non-invasive techniques, precise measurement, and conservation of artefacts, with all findings carefully documented for further analysis and future excavation planning.

Magnetometer and metal detector surveys identified strong metallic signals, leading to the recovery of four V-1 fragments from the topsoil and the recording of 52 additional unexcavated metallic targets using GPS. The crater’s shallow sides and embedded flints suggested a hard impact. A second crater surveyed on 26 April 2021 was found to be unrelated. The site’s undisturbed condition and artefact preservation offer excellent potential for further controlled excavation and historical analysis.

Key artefacts found at the King’s Wood V-1 site include: A flight control surface covering from the V-1, recovered and conserved. An Argus pulse jet engine matrix vane, also conserved. A V-1 fuel system starter valve, notably with a flint fragment wedged into it from the impact. A heavily oxidised fragment of steel casing, left in situ. (1)

<1> Research Resource Archaeology, 2021, V1 King's Wood, Challock, Kent: initial survey report (Unpublished document). SKE57421.