大象传媒

On Sept.3rd 1939 I was a 14 yr. old and as usual on a Sunday morning was singing in the choir at All Souls Church, Eastern Rd. Brighton. At 11 o'clock the vicar Father Thorald left the alter and made his way to the pulpit and told the congregation that war had been declared against Germany.
There were two men from the choir who belonged to the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserves. One of them Mr. Harris, who was our Sea Scout Master, went to the vestry and changed into his Lieutenant's uniform, complete with sword and he went to report to his naval base.
My parents like most other parents who had lived through the first world war, had been worried for the last few months that we would be at war again. Not so us young lads of 14, who had been brought up on the glories of the British Empire, we were quite excited. We left the church that morning and two of my pals and I walked along towards the Kemp Town Brewery, when the air raid warning sirens started up. An Air Raid warden told us to go to the cellars of the brewery that was the nearest shelter. Within a few minutes the all clear sounded and off we went home.
My family lived in Grosvenor St. Brighton. My dad, Jim Brooks, who had been a regular soldier rejoined the Royal Artillery and my mother, Trixy Brooks and my brother Joe started work in a factory making bullets. My sister Joan aged 16 worked as a cashier at Mephams the Butchers in Upper Bedford St. Kemp Town.
On the 14th Sept. 1940 at 3.40pm a stick of bombs fell across Kemp Town and one of them hit Mephams the Butchers and killed Mr. Mepham and two errand boys. My sister Joan was buried under the rubble alongside a customer and they were fortunate to be dug out alive by rescue workers. Joan had only an injury to her leg. My sister told me that she was taken to a place where the injured and dead were laid out on the pavement.
My dad was home on leave at the time and when he heard that the bombs had fallen on Upper Bedford St he rushed down to see what had happened to Joan. He was helping to remove the rubble when he felt a tap on his shoulder, turned around and Joan was standing there covered in chalk and dust and said 'Here I am Dad'. The stick of bombs that fell that day also hit the Odeon Cinema Kemp Town and other shops and houses in Kemp Town area.
My friend, Victor Jackson and I were walking along Eastern Rd that day when we saw the German aircraft release it's bombs. We heard the bombs whistling down and laid in the gutter as they exploded 200 yds away. We then made our way home collecting a piece of shrapnel which was still hot on the pavement. My mother was quite relieved to see me and told me she was worried sick. I was still excited form the day's events and at the age of 14 I did not realise how serious things were.

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