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Bomb drops on Alfred St. School, Rushden , Northants

鈥淭his story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Anita Howard (nee Anita Sackett) from the Essex Action Desk CSV on behalf of herself and has been added to the site with her permission. Anita Sackett fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions鈥�

My mother Ivy Sackett (nee Corby) worked at John White鈥檚 shoe factory in Rushden, Northants making boots for British forces. Nurseries were provided for young children so that mothers could work for the war effort. I remember the little nursery in Tennyson Rd. where I had to have an afternoon nap on a foldaway bed in the afternoon.
My peg had the picture of a lamb on it. One Christmas, the boys were given toy tanks and the girls a soft woollen ball. Needless to say I wanted a tank!
In October 1940 people in the factory heard an aeroplane overhead. From the fire escape they watched a German plane zoom over the High Street dropping a stick of bombs over the buildings below.
My mum鈥檚 friend Aunt Dolly said,
鈥淲e just stared and couldn鈥檛 believe it. It was like watching the films鈥�.
The Queen Victoria Hotel was hit, some cottages in Duck St., Cave鈥檚 boot and shoe factory and Alfred St. Junior School. Minutes later the forewoman said,
鈥淭hose who鈥檝e got kids 鈥榓d better goo1鈥�
Several children and a teacher were killed. Luckily no-one in our families were hurt but Aunt Madeleine was in the school when the bomb fell. She was shocked numb but not injured.

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