大象传媒

My earliest recollections of WWII was the run up to the start of the action in Bristol. My late Brother Ron was with No: 501 Squadron at Filton, it was summer of '39. My Mother Isobel, would go and buy Ron's favourite (broken biscuits) and we would walk out to RAF Filton, the aeroplanes (Hurricans) were dispersed up to the Callicroft Road end of the airfield, adjacent to the Picket Gate which is still there with it's hut.My Father was a vetran of WWI in the RASC and the RFC and was above the age to rejoin the "colours", undaunted he was an R.S.M. in the 18th Gloucesters Home Guard, a BAC Fireman and an Air Raid Warden. My next vivid memory was the bombing of the BAC at Filton and the Engine division. Our Anderson shelter was not yet finished we would use the RAF balloon site next door to our house.The airmen used our house for baths as their bathrooms were not yet in place. It was during the Wednesday raid we were all in the RAF Shelter when all hell was let loose, one of the airmen said the house nearest had been hit, my Mother must have been traumatised - it was ours.. The all clear sounded and we came up, our house was still there but the carnage in the field opposite, the bombs had killed a load of cows.The soldiers were digging out an UXB and we all took turns in sitting on it.The heavy plack smoke came up from the works and the airfield, the casulties I have since learned were vast.
Another memory was at night seeing Bristol to the south burning,the night sky bright red, it was that night my Mothers Sister Jayne Benson's house was flatened by a bomb. My Uncle Joe and my cousin Daisy died in the bombing, his wife Aunt Jayne and her daughter survived.. That was Dean Street, Auntie Jayne and her daughter Sylvia came to live with us at Filton. Their Brother Reg who lives now in Filton was fighting in Africa with the Royal Tank Regiment, he was awarded compassionate leave, his ship was diverted via the Cape and on to the USA, it was eight months before he got home. The bombing got very bad a neighbour next door but one, moved down to Station Road, they were victims of the bombing and only one child survived the other two children died along with their Mother and Father.
The BAC would play "Georgia" when the works were thought to be the target and Col. Bogey when it was all clear.
I was standing in our garden at Filton when a German Air Force a Ju88 popped out of the overcast, the Ju88 can easily mistaken for a Blenheim or Bristol Beaufighter, the aeroplane was very low and we saw the crosses on the fuselage, the pilot waved to us and we waved back
Years later I was serving in the Royal Air Force at RAF Waddington, I met up with the survivor from Filton, we lived around the corner from each otherin Lincoln, he now lives out in Somerset.
My sister Betty and I were evacuated to the Forest of Dean, we thought we were hundreds of miles away, about forty as the "crow flies".My Sister took part in a TV documentary about evacuation, the 大象传媒 omitted the fact I was with her.
When VE day came it was overscast day my Mother told me the war in Europe was over, the celebrations began. The Official later run celebrations were the usual dull locally devised things,the organisers had little or no idea, so good they were, I cannot remember them. We were given a New Testament with a message from HM King George VI,those days are now just a distant memory.
I joined the Royal Air Force and stayed for 26 years,mainly on bombers at Wittering and Waddington where we kept the peace,we were the Cold War Warriors!.This war is just recently over.
Recently I saw a German Air Force "reccy" photograph of Filton and our house (now gone) is in the middle. The location of the Severn, the railway with the track layout must have been a good "crib" for the Luftwaffe's navigation.
What Hitler failed to do to our home during the "blitz" the local Council did it later...

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