大象传媒

On the night of 15/16th April 1941, we suddenly began to learn what war was really about. I went to a cinema on the Oldpark Road called the Park Cinema with a girl called Peggy Walker.

I am not sure of the time when a notice appeared on the screen to say that the air raid siren had sounded. Peggy immediately asked me to take her home so we left at once and had to walk down the Oldpark Road across to the Crumlin Road, then to the Shankill Road and to the Springfield Road and up to Clovelly St. When we got to Peggy鈥檚 door I waited until it opened and then told her that I would see her next day, little knowing that I would never again see her.

On rushing home I found that Mother was not in, so I told Dad that I would go for her just as my sister, Cassie came in with Mother.

Mum was in a very jumpy mood and I figured that I must stay indoors rather than worry her any more.

I was not long in the house when the drone of planes could be heard, and before long the explosion of bombs! Gradually, I was able to learn the different sounds of various. explosions

They were all, of course, harbingers of death but the worst sound was the fluttering of the parachutes on the landmines, as if they were lingering in the air, threatening us before the actual explosion, which was loud enough.

I found it very difficult to remain in the house but on mentioning it to Dad, he said that Mother felt reasonably safe because both of her men were in the house, and if I went out she would go mad. He said that he would like to be outside with me and doing something to help.

My Uncle Norman, told me later, that he got very nervous sitting in the house so he took Aunt Sally and the children up the Woodvale Road for safety, but found it was even worse than sitting in the house, because he could see all the fires which made him angry at himself as he could not do anything to help anyone who might need it.

He was one of those who would rush to help any who were in trouble and when next the sirens sounded on the first Saturday in May, he was out instantly.

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