- Contributed by听
- 160534
- People in story:听
- William Piper
- Location of story:听
- NW London
- Background to story:听
- Royal Navy
- Article ID:听
- A2037511
- Contributed on:听
- 13 November 2003
Time: Autumn Place: NW london
I was ten years of age and on my way home from school, it was late afternoon with the light just beginning to fade. It was my task every day to go straight to our local paper shop to pick up my Dad's evening paper. Each afternoon I would meander along the pavement studying the front page, which at that time contained details of the Allied advance into France and enemy occupied Europe, there were always maps, which I loved, showing lines marking the latest positions of the front line, these were accompanied by Union and American flags on the one side and a large swastika on the other.
On this particular afternoon as I approached a side road, I lifted my head to ensure that it was safe to cross when..... a very bright flash of light lit up the road. My immediate reaction was, it must be lightening. Seconds later however there came an incredibly loud explosion. What followed will remain in my memory for as long as I live. I saw every pane of glass fall from every window INTACT! This included the large plate glass windows of the shops below. My home at that time was a flat situated on the third floor of a row of Victorian shops.
I half ran and walked picking my way across the sea of glass , towards my front door, my heart was beating furiously in both fear and I suppose boyish excitement. I don't recall seeing anyone else around. Reaching my door I bounded up the stairs, rushed into our lounge to be confronted with my sister Sally standing pale faced and open eyed looking out of a hole in the wall which minutes before had been a window. I rushed to her side and we both stared out at a huge pillar of fire rising from the point of impact.
We discovered the next day that we had been hit by one of Hitler's secret weapons, the V2 rocket which had caused a great deal of damage to property and sadly much loss of life; there had been no warning you see.
When I look back to that day almost 60 years ago I thank God that my Guardian Angel was looking after me, for if I had crossed that road a fraction earlier all that glass would have rained down on me with possible fatal consequences.
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