´óÏó´«Ã½

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Kathy Tutt, a volunteer from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Kent, on behalf of Mollie Mellish and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Mellish fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

I was 10 years old and living in Rolvenden on Battle of Britain Sunday during August 1940. It was during the hop-picking school holiday. On that day waves of German planes came over from Dover and the Kent coast and I remember standing in the garden looking up at so many planes that it was like a big black cloud. I tried counting the German bombers but there were too many and I had to give up. Then Spitfires and Hurricanes came on the scene, they were dog-fighting with the German planes most of the day. There was lots of machine-gun fire and vapour trails, maybe also the odd parachute if someone was shot down. It was a continuous loud droning noise - German and British planes had different engine noises. It was the worst day, with continuous gunfire noise. Messerschmitts were seen ‘hedge-hopping’ being chased back to the coast by Spitfires. Sometimes there was a screaming noise, when a plane dived for any reason.

I was absolutely petrified and sat under the draining board in the kitchen, only coming out occasionally for food! The boys in the village, including my brother and his friends were all out looking for shrapnel and shell cases. Some shrapnel found was very jagged and still hot.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.