大象传媒

I was just turned twelve years old when the war broke out. The unknown was frightening; as war was announced on the radio fear seeemed to flow through my veins instead of my blood. We were a family of four.

One evening during a raid a land mine was droppped. The damage was wide spread, we had our front door blown off plus windows broken. We knew it must be close by, it was amazing how quickly word got around and when we were told that it had come down in Weston Road, Dad decided he had to go and see if his parents were ok as they lived in Weston Road.

I went with him and as we walke down Brompton Lane, the damage became very obvious with glass, roof tiles, doors, bricks strewn everywhere. We had to watch where we walked. We were so pleased to arrive at my grandparents house and find them safe but shaken. The mine had fallen about three hundred yards from their house onto the ARP centre at York House in Cliffe Road and it had taken out on side of Hayward Avenue plus other houses in Cliffe Road.

There were so many who died that night, one a beautiful young lady who worked at Strood Post Office.

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Helena Noifeld and has been added to the website on behalf of Doris Sancto with her permission.She fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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