大象传媒

Years have passed and most that were alive at the time have also passed on. Now is the time to recall a small foot note in history . The night that my father aged 8 and his family were bombed out. My Grandfather Edward Stubbington (Ted)like so many would re-count,the tale often,(altough he was absent at the actual time). My Nan(Gladys)listening silently but occasionally promptimg when required as she was present! during the actual bombing.
It was 02:30 on the 18th of April 1942,My Grandfather a member of the Royal observor corp that often forgoten but neverless reliable human element to Britains early warning and air defences was on duty . As most people will be aware and informed correctly by the history books.
The luftwaffe's main aim was to both disable our air defence & then destroy both Britains industry and morale.
Seldom could both aims seemed to be less likly to be achieved than by bombing a small English village.
However a few miles from Upham is Marwell zoological park now a major tourist attraction.
Then so my grandfather would tell us.
Home to a RAF airstrip operating "catalina" maritme patrol aircraft.
He often surmised that the aircraft (type unknown) was a lone "Jerry" looking for the aforementioned Marwell (I must hasten to add that this was all undisputed conjecture).
What can't be disputed however is that Nan (Gladys)her three sons Eric(my father and eldest),Ray and Dave were in their beds in a small part of a former hut(the Dagwell)which had prevously been converted into several dwellings for local people.
The Bomb one of two,the first exploding a mere few feet away causing the destruction of one end of the building which housed my Grandfathers family.
Nan and sons abruptly awoken(feeling only as those who have been through this can explain)and started to call to each other establing contact in the dust and debris of their former home.
Nan was relieved to hear that not only were her three sons alive but that they were apparently uninjured.
Altough Nan did sustain an injury to her knee which continued to give discomfort in later life.
She would always agree that considering the damage to her home (completely destroyed)the family were in deed lucky.
Many years later my father showed me the (by now grassed)crator left by the second bomb. Ted lived till 87 often recounting stories of the war years and his time both with the Royal Navy and the Royal Observor corp. Passing away in 1991 followed later that same year by Nan aged 80. Dad and his brother Ray following but just a decade later. "I can see the stars", is what my father,so my Nan would explain many times over the years said when she called to him shortly after the bomb fell.

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