- Contributed by听
- molies
- People in story:听
- Jeannette Acton
- Location of story:听
- Merton Park
- Article ID:听
- A2063206
- Contributed on:听
- 19 November 2003
The Nelson Hospital, had been hit by incendary bombs. My mother and I lived at 250 Kingston Road
The flames lit our bedroom window. I sat up, in the bed dressed in a kilt and jumper scared to sleep. My mother kept trying to reassure me that nothing would hurt us. "Granddads outside with the ARP, you know he'd get us out in time." In the end she gave up. "Come on she said lets walk to Grans and go in the shelter."
We walked up Cannon Hill Lane. We reached the Railwaybridge, and as we passed under it we heard an engine and a light in the sky coming towards us. Suddenly the noise stopped and the thing seemed to glide, followed by a loud explosion.
We rushed for my Grans house number, 66, banged on the door. It was futile Gran was deaf she didn't hear a thing.
I think that was the first doodlebug, the girl I sat next to in school died. The worse thing is I don't remember caring.
We had been looking forward at school to our first sports day. Instead of practiicing we spent our time, by the airaid shelter. Then we stopped going to school and my cousins and I hang out with my Gran, My mother worked at Vickers Armstrong in New Malden, in the payroll department.
On the following Friday my Aunt and two children were buried in their Anderson shelter in Wandsworth, they were rescued thank goodness. They came to Grans. My mother carrying the two year old, granddad, carrying Lindy, my Aunt carrying the dog.
We were then a company of five children during the day, being watched by my deaf grandmother, Betty and David were taken home at night to New Malden by their mother, and at night five adults and three children slept in shelter built for four.
We had an infinity for fridays. We were hit by a doodlebug on the next one. My Grans house was a hundred years old when she moved into it as a bride. It was gone.
My Granddads teeth however survived in a cup of water in what remained of the pantry, and we came through, just as well. Within a short time we were drinking tea out of jam jars.
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