New Bond Street/Bruton Street

11 May 1941

By Caitlin Fritch

At around 12am, 11 May 1941, a high explosive bomb fell on the south-west corner of Bruton Street and New Bond Street, W1. ARP Wardens reported that 165 and 166 New Bond Street were also badly damaged with debris obstructing access. 156, 7-8 and 21 New Bond Street were reported damaged by a second high explosive bomb which hit the roadway. Water mains were disrupted and the coal gas mains caught fire. At 12.25am, further damage was reported at Landsdowne Row, Hay Hill, 8 and 20 Berkeley Street. Shortly after, the fire brigade was also called to Adam’s Row. Whilst this fire was being extinguished, ambulances and a rescue team were called to the scene to search for several individuals possibly trapped. City of Westminster message forms for 12.48 am noted that this team suspected that two police officers were caught in the debris. Subsequently, three casualties were removed, including a policeman. Efforts to rescue the remaining individual were temporarily suspended until gas from the leaking coal gas main could be shut off. 

Later that morning, heavy lifting gear was deployed to extract an individual reportedly trapped under a fallen girder. The fire was reported as under control although it continued to smoulder and services remained on standby. 165 New Bond Street was designated "a very dangerous structure". New Bond Street, between Clifford Street and Bruton Street, was blocked by heavy debris. Later Civil Defence reports stated that one of the rescued policemen had died in hospital.

In 1952, the destroyed corner of New Bond Street and 1 Bruton Street was replaced by the modernist Time and Life building (designed by Michael Rosenauer and decorated with a concrete screen sculpture by Henry Moore).