大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Beryl Emberton with her permission. The Author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

One Sunday in the summer of 1941 my friend Mabel and I decided to go to Putney to the new Dance Hall over Burton鈥檚 Men鈥檚 Wear shop on the corner of the High Street. We could have either gone there or to the cinema, we decided upon the cinema and when it finished we decided to catch the Trolley Bus but Mabel suggested that walked to East Putney.

After walking for 5 minutes we heard a TERRIBLE explosion, there was no siren and absolutely no warning. We continued our journey home.

The next day we heard the terribly sad news that the Dance Hall had received a direct hit by a bomb dropped by a lone raider. All the people in the bus queue were killed too.

After talking with their friends some of the dancers never saw their partners again. The casualties were very high too 鈥� some people maimed for life.

After surviving what 鈥渕ight have been鈥� we decided that someone was watching over us - and that bombs did not have our names on.

So two 18-year-olds became two old ladies and 5 years ago I went to Canada to see Mabel and talk about our memories!

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