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This story was submitted to the People's War website by Carolyn Hendra on behalf of Harry Pilgrim, the author, and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

There were many air raids on Falmouth, mainly to lay mines in the Bay. We would see these blown up regularly by our mine sweepers. The mines did sink an oil tanker and this resulted in miles of totally black shoreline and beaches. There was no anti pollution in those days and we were told it would take years for the oil to disperse — if ever. Nature did the work in a matter of weeks!

The nearest bomb to us was half a mile away at Carwinion. It also badly damaged the house of spinster, Miss Eland. Bomb damage in excess of £100.00 required a special permit but she managed to get it done within that figure! Such was the pace of life in Cornwall in those days that this retired teacher, who did not go out much, used Mr. Banfield’s bus to change her library book and do her Falmouth shopping. When she wanted him to stop she put up the Union Flag at her gate!

One of the first bombs to be dropped in the war was on sleepy Gweek. The Helford was made to resemble the Fal and a German bomber being chased up it dropped his bombs to get away.

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