大象传媒

This story has been submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Georgina Jarvis of Norfolk Adult Education鈥檚 reminiscence team on behalf of the late Bernard Robinson, who gave his permission for his story to be told prior to his death.

Bernard Robinson was a professional football player for Norwich City Football Club. He was born on the 5th of December 1911 and died on the 29th November 2004. He was known as Robbo.

Bernard鈥檚 Memories

I was cycling down Waterworks Road in Norwich immediately after a raid when I saw a fellow with a bucket over his head lying in the road. I imagined he was, (because of how he was dressed), one of the allotment holders from the allotments off Sweet Briar Road. I approached very cautiously, (you can imagine I was very afraid), and two yards before I sidled beside him, off came the bucket and he starting leaping about and shouting 鈥淚s it over yet?鈥� I was horribly shocked, trembling and frightened. He wasn鈥檛 in a much better state himself.

Again on my trusty bicycle and cycling down Ketts hill, I came across a massive amount of debris that had blown all over the road. A house had had a direct hit. To get to my destination there was nothing for it but lift and balance my bike on my arms and pick my way through all the rubble and obstacles. It was a long and very unpleasant job for me.

During the war we played on with the club, (Norwich City Football Club), if we happened to be a man or two short then we recruited soldiers that were keen on the game and had a proven record of good play. This was a great morale boost for the city. One or two stands in various parts of the country were bomb damaged but I was very lucky as enemy action never caused any of the games that I was to play in to be cancelled.

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