World War II's "Doodlebugs"

BBC News: England "Doodlebugs 'diverted' to Kent to save London."

Doodlebugs were the name given to Germany's V-1 Flying Bombs, ancestor of today's cruise missiles.  These targetted Britain from secret sites along the French and Dutch coasts.

Their first strikes were in 1944 at London, Kent and Sussex.  The first fatalities were recorded at Bethnal Green.  Some 2,419 hit London.

False intelligence leaked to the Germans caused many to land away from London in Kent, Sussex and Essex.

The name Doodlebug, in case you're wondering, came from the sound the V-1s made.

June 13, 1944, one landed at Bethnal Green.

When they were coming in, you would hear the engine stoop and 15 seconds later would come the explosion as it landed.  These were among the first guidance systems developed.  The rocket was programmed to go down after a certain number of times which would cause the elevator to go down and fuel ran out.  There would be that dreadful silence, then boom.  This was extremely bad on British morale.

--GreGen