Autographs
1944 President Franklin Roosevelt Exceptional Content Letter Regarding a home recently destroyed by a German V-1 Buzzbomb
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT (1882-1945). Thirty-Second President of the United States (1933–1945) and a dominant leader of the Democratic Party being the only American President elected to more than two terms.
November 27, 1944-Dated World War II, Exceptional Content, Typed Letter Signed, “Franklin D Roosevelt” as President, upon official “The White House” Washington stationary, 1 page, measuring 8.75” x 7”, Choice Very Fine. Written to Dame Rachel Crowdy (1898-1964) of the British Ministry of Information. President Franklin Roosevelt Sympathies to a British government official whose home was recently destroyed by a German V-1 Buzzbomb. Original binder hole at the upper left corner, one minor paperclip stain at the upper left edge, typed in deep black and having a superb 3” long signature “Franklin D Roosevelt”. Here President Roosevelt writes, in full:

“My dear Dame Rachel Crowdy: --- Thank you for your letter of September 6, 1944, and the letter you enclosed which described the 'Freedom of the Town' ceremony in Wallasey. The ceremony was both a touching tribute to our boys and an expression of the mutual affection and respect which have developed during their stay in England. The hospitality and friendship which have been so generously bestowed upon them, in which your own efforts have meant much, will never be forgotten.

Mrs. Roosevelt and I were grieved to hear of the tragic results of the flying bomb which destroyed your flat. Material things mean little, but I am glad that I can replace at least one small part of the loss.

Mrs. Roosevelt joins me in sending you our warm regards and best wishes. -- Very sincerely yours, - (Signed) Franklin D. Roosevelt”.
The first of Germany's “V-weapons” to be unleashed, the V-1, also known as the Fieseler Fl-103, was a small pilotless aircraft powered by a pulse jet engine and carrying a one-ton explosive warhead. It was launched from a fixed ramp and traveled at about 350mph and 4,000ft and had a range of 150 miles. Although prone to mechanical failure and vulnerable to fighters, barrage balloons, and anti-aircraft fire, the V-1 nevertheless caused great destruction to targets in England and Belgium. Troops and civilians subjected to these attacks nicknamed them "doodlebugs" or "Buzz bombs".

Germany launched its new weapon from Pas-de-Calais on the northern coast of France on June 12, 1944. The first ten failed to reach the country, but on the following day one landed in Essex. Over the next few months 1,435 hit southeast England. These attacks created panic in Britain, and between mid-June and the end of July, around one and a half million people left London.

At the impact site houses or buildings were totally demolished. In inner London suburbs where terrace houses were packed together, sometimes up to 20 houses would totally collapse. Brick walls were pulverized into small fragments. The blast area of a V-1 often extended across a radius of 400 yards in each direction. In some cases it was even greater, up to 600 yards. Germany fired 9,521 V-1 bombs on southern England. Of these, 4,621 were destroyed by anti-aircraft fire or by RAF fighters such as the new turbojet fighter, the Gloster Meteor.

An estimated 6,184 people were killed by these flying bombs. However, by August only 20 percent of these bombs were reaching England, as the Allied advance successfully overran their launch points, pushing them out of effective range to reach England.