大象传媒

My Mum Ehtel, my sister Kathleen and I were living at 50 Mellors Road, Wallington, Surrey. I was working as a wages clerk in a war factory.
We always went to bed to our Anderons Shelter because that's when the raids started.

On this particular night, we were huddled down and we heard the bombs screaming down and we really thought it was the end. Then there was a tremendous thumping on the roof. When it stopped we got out and everything was white, just as if it had snowed. But it was chalk.
I heard a woman crying for help and followed the voice's direction. You couldn't work out levels because of the white and I found myself falling down a bomb crater. Our shelter was on the edge of it. I managed to crawl out and found Mrs. Fox, in her shelter at the other side of the crater. It was all lopsided and had been lifted out of the ground. I could only see her head. The rest of her body was covered in earth. I did what any normal person would do and got the earth out of her eyes and mouth. Then she said to me "My husband's under there."
I went to get the civil defence representative. I returned to my mother and sister who were dead scared. Mrs. Fox was dug out but unfortunately Mr.Fox died.

I heard afterwards that there was an Anderson Shelter between ours and the Foxes', but they were never seen again. In a situation, you just do what is needed, the feelings came afterwards. More than anything else I was thankful that we were alright, because I didn't know that Mr. Fox had died.

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Helena Noifeld of 大象传媒 Radio Kent and has been added to the website on behalf of Roger Alldis with his permission. He fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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