Standing outside Ruthers garage, Eastern Avenue, I heard the sound of a 'doodlebug' coming from the direction of Romford town, but the sound seemed different, more like an aircraft with engine trouble.  Then suddenly - and it was over in seconds - two craft passed over, barely clearing rooftops, heading north-east - one being a 'flying bomb' and the other a fighter aircraft to the left and slightly under the flying bomb.  It would appear that the intention was to tilt the bomb away from the built up area.  Whether the plane was a 'Spitfire' or 'Hurricane' I don't know,¹ it all happened so quickly, but I can only say that the pilot had courage.

Ray Smith, March 2001.

¹ It has been suggested that "it would more likely have been a big brute of a fighter called a Hawker Typhoon, one of the few aeroplanes fast enough and tough enough to catch and deal with a V-1.  Small chance it could have been the then-new Gloster Meteor jet fighter that was just coming into use towards the end of the war."