- Contributed by听
- West Sussex Library Service
- People in story:听
- Frank Worthy
- Location of story:听
- Sutton, Surrey
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A2875719
- Contributed on:听
- 29 July 2004
Written on behalf of Frank Worthy by Bognor Library.
In 1942, I was 14 and lived in Alexandra Avenue, Sutton, Surrey.
The first dramatic thing I remember happening was the German bomber planes coming over, aiming for the railway line behind us. A stick of bombs came down which made the air raid shelter rock..One was unexploded in Sorrento Road, by the railway line and the trains came by very slowly even through the air raid! It made you feel a lot better to hear the comforting sound of a train running through the air raid.
My brother got to know Hank an American soldier stationed at Bushey Park . Then the flying bombs came over. I started to count them and watch them as they came over the garden.
I was working in the butchers, and was coming home from work along Staten Road. A flying bombe came over and we didn鈥檛 know which way to go to avoid it. I stood where I was and the engine cut out directly over head. I started running towards an air raid shelter which was the other side of the bridge. 2 air raid wardens were standing outside in their hut. I suddenly realised nothing had happened , so I looked up to see the bomb, gliding parallel to the road 鈥 but I have no idea where it eventually landed 鈥 but it wasn鈥檛 on me! The air raid wardens were concerned about all the children who hadn鈥檛 got to the shelter.
One flying bomb hit the Diary next door to the factory I was in 鈥 it landed in the loading area, which is now a Blockbusters video shop. Another landed in the churchyard of Benhill Church.
I remember the V2 bombs, you heard the explosion followed by the rushing sound afterwards of the rocket as they flew faster than sound. The Germans seemed so much more advanced than us in technology. I remember singing a song inspired by the V2 bombs 鈥 it went 鈥淐rash, Bang, Allakazam 鈥 love hit me in the eye鈥
On another occasion I remember a German Dornier Bomber on Sutton Green facing the pond 鈥 does anyone else remember it and how it got there? Why was it put on Sutton Green?
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