大象传媒

During the War Bridlington a seaside resort on the east coast suffered sporadic "air raids",more so if planes flying over hadnt dropped all their bombs on the city of hull-Bridlington would be the final place for that to occur.
Their were several dummy airfields in the area,more so for emergency landings of our own planes these being Carnaby also Leven. Percy Elijah Lovatt (a Prudential Insuranceman Superintendant),who had come to Bridlington via Hull but born in Derby,he had been a prisoner in the first world war in france so had seen action in the trenches also but was in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
He was at home in Bridlington when the air raid sirens sounded,but remained indoors with the family corgies (Janty and Prim),during the air raid warden came running to the door urgently that Percy was required quickly and Son Raymond that the St.Annes Convalescent Home had been struck by Bombs,immediately Percy got his little car out called his son Raymond to come quick,as was on leave via royal army pays corps(nottingham) they started up the car living only a short distance away they were first ones on site with vehicle and went at great haste to the Convalescent Home where many people had been injured,Percy promptly attended with First Aid Kit that he kept in the Vehicle for Emergencys rendering assistance together with son Raymond,a plan of evacuation of the premises was agreed very quickly a shuttle service commenced whereby Percy would convey people to the Forestors Lodge Convalescent Home on the opposite side of town,together with taking the walking wounded to the local Lloyd Hospital.
On that night and into the early hours of the morning,the other members of the family were called into action Beatrice his Wife,Gwen Taylor her Sister who also rendered assistance Biscuits/Tea were made in quantitys and ferried by Percys vehicle down to other helpers.
During the years prior to the war and war years Percy a Violinist and ukele player,also ran concert partys and took local and visiting entertainers friends of the family to entertain at the St.Annes Convalescent Home together with his Son Ray who played accordian,ukele,guitar,piano also the church organ as their was a church on the site of the convalescent home too it was the church that was struck by the bomb on the night of the air-raid but much damage was done to the other buildings of the convalescent home too,some of the people in it were friends of the family and well known to them,the home was run by Church of England and built in the late l880s,tea partys were held and various fund raising activitys to aid the infirm which local dignatorys also the Bishop would attend at various times throught the year.
But as the Bombs fell on the night of l7th/l8th june,l941 The St.Annes Convalescent Home situated between st.annes road and sands lane,bridlington had been badly bombed together with its Church on site,which Percy and his family had visited over many years making friends with residents and Raymond his son had played the Church Organ at various services there on many occassions,the convalescent home and church premises stood empty it was not demolished till the l960s era now replaced by sheltered housing bungalows.
During the l970s a somewhat odd occurance took place "scary" to say the least,myself and parents were staying in sands lane in a flat,whereupon I looked out of the window and saw what appeared to be a gleaming silver object in hovering in the sky just above where the st.annes convalescent home had been,I shouted "Look,Look"its hovering its Silver what is it to both parents and we ran out of the flat having seen it thro.the second floor window but I didnt know what,I personally am "tea-total" and both parents saw it too but suddenly disappeared,it truly terrified me.
It was then that my Father related the fuller story of the night his Father Self had gone to rescue the people from the St.Annes Convalescent Home,yet I will personally never forgot what we all saw in the sky that night some 35+years later,as many lives were lost in the l940s at that home.

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