大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a volunteer from Northumberland on behalf of Don Simcock. Mr. Simcock fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions, and the story has been added to the site with his permission.

One night towards the end of the blitz, when I would have been about sixteen years of age, probably in 1942, maybe 1943, the Air Raid Siren sounded its warning and, after only a few minutes, my Dad, Harry Simcock, and I heard the clatter of falling incendiary bombs. 鈥淪ounds like they are trying for the railway sidings!, said Dad, when our attention was drawn to a clatter much nearer. There was no doubt that a bomb had fallen on our roof.

Because the roof was boarded, in addition to tiles, the bomb did not penetrate but it rolled down to lodge in the valley gutter. We could see the glow as it ignited, and we knew that it would soon melt the lead, burn through the board beneath, and fall into the roof space, which was insulated with wood shavings!

In no time, Dad and I were in the house, up the stairs, onto the landing and through the loft trap door, just in time to see a small circle of burning wood, steadily growing larger and larger. 鈥淕et the stirrup pump from the garage鈥�, shouted Dad, as he placed a rubber mat in the bath ... 鈥淏ecause Mum will be cross if we scratch the bath!鈥�

After half-filling it with water, Dad stood in the bath, pumping like fury, as I directed the jet and spray onto the burning bomb and roof timbers. Then the water stopped coming, only to re-start before it stopped and re-started, yet again! And then, from the Bathroom below I heard my Dad鈥檚 voice raised in anger, to a pitch that I had never known, followed by the slamming of the front door.

The fire extinguished, I came down from the roof, now rather blackened but undamaged, to find Dad sitting on the side of the bath, obviously still fuming with rage. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the matter鈥�, I asked. 鈥淏****y Warden鈥�, said Dad, still recovering from the effort of pumping. 鈥淵ou see, I was pumping so hard, thinking of you in the roof trying to put out the fire that the hose kept coming off the pump. So, I was holding it on with one hand and pumping with the other. When I looked round, there is the Air Warden, watching. He then made this earth-shattering suggestion, 鈥業f you would like to stop what you鈥檙e doing and come down to the Warden鈥檚 Post, I can let you have a leaflet on stirrup pump maintenance鈥�!鈥�

In consideration of the reader鈥檚 sensibilities, I will not share my Dad鈥檚 closing remarks!

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