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One of the most memorable events as far as I was concerned was the strafing of the Battle Road school which was probably in 1942 or ‘43. It must have been about 8.40 in the morning as only one other boy and I were actually on the school premises. We were standing in front of the gabled classroom nearest the High Street when there was a tremendous roar and blast of wind and we were both flung to the ground. We immediately both got up and ran round the corner hell for leather for the main side entrance which had stacked up 40 gallon drums filled with Earth as blast protection around it. As I ran, there was a clatter of cannon and machine gun fire and I recall sparks flitting around my feet. I flung myself into the doorway landing in a puddle, and that was it.

It seemed that there were 2 fighters, the first so low it blew us over, followed seconds later by the second which strafed the school. The telephone wires were hanging down in tatters and there were holes in the chimney pots on the other side of the road and there were bullet holes in the class room and playground.

This story was entered onto the site by Charlie Sever with permission from Thelma Walker on behalf of her late husband, Graham. Thelma fully undrerstands the site's terms and conditions.

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