大象传媒

This story was gathered, written and submitted to the 大象传媒 peoples war by Nicholas Campbell

Annie said that she hadn鈥檛 thought about the Belfast blitz for a very long time. However last week in the Post Office she had heard some people talking about the 60th Anniversary of V.E. Day later this year and memories had come flooding back to her. She remembered that the war had been going on for over a year but for her, living in Northern Ireland, she had felt removed from the main action.
People were unprepared for what was to happen in the April and May of 1941. Annie said that what she remembered most was the fear she felt when she heard the air raid warnings. Annie and her husband were living in Finaghy at that time and she supposed that they were lucky as their house had a small cellar. It was this cellar they stayed in until the all clear sounded.
She said how frightened she felt when she was woken up by the siren and the panic she was in to find footwear and suitable warm clothing. They brought blankets too as they had no idea how long they would be there for. She said it was cold even if it was springtime or perhaps it was a combination of the cellar and the fear they felt. They could clearly hear the sound of the bombs when they exploded. She confessed that once she had looked outside and saw the sky lit up.
Annie and her husband had friends who lived across the road. As they had no place to safely shelter they would join them in their cellar. Annie had even brought some old chairs down to sit on. The four of them would try to keep their spirits up by telling stories and reminiscing about happier times. Annie says, 鈥淲e were just trying to forget what was happening outside鈥�.
She said it didn鈥檛 really work as they knew that outside people were being hurt and that houses and factories were being bombed only a few miles away. Annie said she remembered how her heart would beat faster every time she heard an explosion. She knew they all felt the same way even if they didn鈥檛 talk about it. She said they knew that the Luftwaffe was probably after the docks area with the shipyards and aircraft factory but also that sometimes bombs missed their target.
Annie remembered that that the worst bombings happened on the night of Easter Tuesday in 1941. She said that it felt like a lifetime but was probably only three or four hours. She told me of the relief they all felt when they heard the all clear siren and were finally able to return to their beds for what was left of the night. Later that week they saw some of the destruction caused by the bombers. Annie said she knew that she would never forget those times and how afraid she had been.

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