´óÏó´«Ã½

I was going home on one occasion, in the evening, between six o’ clock and half past six, and I was riding around Regents Park, and I was coming over the Grand Union Canal. Gerry had dropped a few bombs here and there, but as I went over the bridge, I remember seeing the traffic lights: I can’t recall whether they were green or red, nevertheless, the next thing I knew I was in someone’s front garden.

When I came to, I realised a bomb had dropped on the bridge just behind me and it had blown me off my bike into the garden. I realised I’d been knocked out. It could only have been for a short time because when I glanced up; I saw my bike in the middle of the road and noticed that one of the wheels was still spinning.

I was a bit shaken I got up, and on to my bike 'cause I wanted to get away, more particularly there were mobile anti-craft guns around the streets and they were making rather a lot of noise. I wanted to get home.

I jumped on my bike, and as I went to pedal away, I went over the handlebars because I’d damaged the crank. (I think I did more damage to myself going over the handlebars than the bomb did to me when it blew me into the garden!)

I got back on the bike, and eventually bent the crank back to near-enough its original position, and high-tailed it home - without further damage to myself.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Bill Kendall and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Bill's stories:

• A White-Faced Inspector
• Chipolatas and Chips
• Doody
• Given a bit of cheek
• How it all began
• I was BKFJ434
• ’Let him go and let him tarry’
• In a split second timing
• Oranges and Lemons
• Rotten Bananas
• Waste not, Want not
• It was coming straight for me
• Using more of my nine lives
• Tiny and Shiny
• Free post
• Time just came and went
• No. 1 London

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