大象传媒

I was born in January 1934 and we moved to Sanderstead (Brian Avenue) near Croydon in 1935.
War was not far off and my father had a totally underground Anderson air raid shelter built at the end of our garden.
War came and we found ourselves in the middle of the triangle between Biggin Hill, Croydon and Kenley aeordromes. I clearly remember watching Spitfires, Hurricanes and Messerschmitts fighting it out overhead.
We children were warned not to show ourselves during an air raid as the German pilots were said to strafe the streets if they saw any movement.
Eventually, in 1940 or thereabouts a cluster of 1000lb bombs fell in our neighbourhood. The house opposite was blown open and another bomb fell within 30 feet of our shelter.
The ground was soft chalk and much was thrown up and blocked our entrance. Our next door neighbour, whose shelter was only partly underground, was killed.
I have a snapshot memory of being dragged out of the shelter and seeing the ARP wardens and neighbours standing round, leaning on their shovels. I have been told (long afterwards)that I got very cross because "I got earth all over my pyjamas"!
It must have been a terrible time for my parents. I think it affected my mother greatly. We evacuated to Cranleigh quickly afterwards.

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