THIS COLOURED LITHOGRAPH MAP WAS CREATED BY ARTHUR BOND AND PRODUCED BY BAYNARD PRESS, LIMITED TO 200 AND PRESENTED TO BANK OF ENGLAND EMPLOYEES WHO VOLUNTEERED AS WATCHERS FOR V1 FLYING BOMBS DURING 1944 AND 1945.
THE FIRST V1 FLYING BOMB KNOWN AS A 'BUZZ BOMB' OR 'DOODLEBUG' WAS LAUNCHED ON JUNE 13TH 1944, ONE WEEK AFTER THE ALLIED LANDINGS IN NORMANDY. THE NAZIS HAD BEEN PREPARING THE LAUNCHING FOR SOME TIME, ON THE REMOTE BALTIC ISLAND OF PENNEMUNDE, AND HAD BUILT 96 LAUNCH SITES. BY FEBRUARY 1944 THE RAF AND THE USAF HAD BOMBED THE LAUNCH SITES AND DESTROYED 73, LEAVING 23. ONCE THE V1s WERE LAUNCHED THEY CAUSED A LOT OF PROBLEMS FOR SOUTHERN ENGLAND AS THEY WERE AIMED AT LONDON IN PARTICULAR. THEY HAD A PRE-SET DISTANCE GUIDANCE SYSTEM THAT CUT THE POWER AND RESULTED IN THE FLYING BOMB GOING INTO A STEEP DIVE AND THE LANDING POINT WAS SOMEWHAT UNPREDICTABLE UNTIL THE FINAL DIVE. THE FINAL ONE OF THE 9,521 LANDED ON MARCH 29TH 1945.
THE HIGHEST BUILDING IN LONDON DURING THE WAR WAS THE BANK OF ENGLAND AND APPROXIMATELY 200 OF THE BANK'S EMPLOYEES VOLUNTEERED TO WATCH OUT FOR THE V1 FLYING BOMBS, FROM THE PRECARIOUS POSITION OF THE ROOF OF THE BANK, IN 8 HOUR SHIFTS. THEY WERE ON THE LOOKOUT TO SEE AND HEAR WHEN THE 'BUZZ' STOPPED, AS THIS MEANT THE DIVE WAS TAKING PLACE, AND THEY COULD LOCATE THE POSITION OF THE DROP TO ALERT, THE FIRE SERVICES, AMBULANCES, BOMB WARDENS ETC.. ARTHUR BOND CREATED 200 MAPS, PRODUCED BY BAYNARD PRESS A COMMERCIAL PRINTER NOTED FOR THE QUALITY OF ITS COLOUR LITHOGRAPHY, WITH CLIENTS INCLUDING LONDON TRANSPORT MAP. THESE WERE PRESENTED TO THE VOLUNTEERS AS MOMENTOES TO THEIR VIGILANCE AND BRAVERY. ONE OF THEM IS HANGING IN THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND, MARK CARNEY, TO THIS DAY.
THE IMAGE MEASURES 72 x 65 CM AND THE OAK, GLASS FRONTED, FRAME MEASURES 80 x 73 CM. THE BACK OF THE FRAME IS WOODEN AND THE FRAMERS WERE HUMPHREYS OF STREATHAM, ESTABLISHED IN 1890. THERE IS A LETTER OF AUTHENTICITY VERIFYING ITS ORIGINALITY.
FREE PACKAGE, TRACKED DELIVERY AND INSURANCE FOR MAINLAND UK SALE.
FOR INTERNATIONAL SALE, COST OF TRACKED POSTAGE, PACKAGE AND INSURANCE TO BE ADVISED AND PAYABLE BY BUYER.