Although the worst days of the ‘Blitz’ had long since passed, the threat of intermittent bombing remained in Britain and regularly caused death and destruction across the south and east of Britain.

London remained a primary target and the threat of air raids was very real. People were still using the Underground railway stations as safe places to sleep every night.

The news that the RAF had bombed Berlin on the night of the 1st March had heightened the sense that there might be a retaliatory raid. In the East End of London, in Victoria Park, the anti-aircraft gunners were about to test a new system of anti-aircraft rockets.