大象传媒

Living in an area which had some fourteen incidents, I have many to tell both serious and comical and I think that to keep it a little light I will chose one of the funniest incidents that I can recall.

At the site where the present crematorium stands was situated in war time two 4.5mm guns and living so close to them they were pretty disturbing, particularly when they were firing at approaching aircraft coming up the Humber using the river as a signpost to our city.

At various times over some two years we entertained the soldiers to a game of billiards or a little home life. On one particular evening we were entertaining one of the gunners, a small man who made up for lack of height in his officiousness. You will recall I am sure, of the many times that gunfire was heard before the alert was sounded and on this particular night this happened with a terrific noise from the 4.5mm guns. Our visitor dived under the billiard table coming out the other side and gazed up at us standing there and said "what was that?".

"That", we replied "was your gun". The explanation being that when working at the gun, complete with earmuffs, he had never heard his own gun fired. And it was a most comical incident to see this rather officious little man looking so stupid on the floor. However, he still continued to come to our house until posted away and I think he would have a story to relate even though it might have been to his disadvantage, for a long time to come.

Unpleasant as war is, there were some interesting points. For instance, the vibration from these guns when at zero elevation, gave rise to such incidents as six dinner plates being cracked across the middle and soot coming down the chimney not as a result of enemy bombing but of our own protective measures. Also we used to hear the conversations and warnings coming to the gunsight before ever the siren was sounded. This was known as "a red alert".

As the Gunners remained for some time on this posting, we made lots of friends which lasted long after the war.

Hospitality to the forces made us many friends and sometimes highly amusing incidents. There were several houses around me used for accommodating particularly the ATS girls and unfortunately, one of the houses was so severely damaged, as well as a tragic death, that the commanding officer asked us to take in some of the girls and the ATS Captain arrived with a girl who had come from Goole, not involved in the incident, but she had to have a bed to sleep in. After the officer had left, this girl was in state of hysterics saying "I shall run away, I'm not going to stop".

I said "come on, drink and you will feel better" (THIS being a small whisky). "I can't, I can't" said the hysterical girl "I've signed the pledge".

"Pledge or no Pledge", said I grasping the ATS girl and when she opened her mouth to protest I poured the drink down her throat. She promptley collapsed on the floor - out cold.

We had a terrible raid that night and it was not until 6 o'clock in the morning that I woke her to give her, her breakfast and she said how sorry she was to have been so upset and what a quiet night it had been! "OK" said I but tell your commanding officer to come and see me, which she duly did. I described to the officer how the girl had been before collapsing and I hoped she would forget it was whisky she had and she must certainly be given a posting away from Hull.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.