大象传媒

When the Blitz was on in the East End the Kiora squash factory was bombed, which was a subsidiary of Schweppes. They gave them some space at Colwall. Now you might wonder why squash was so important? Well every bit went to the North African Forces and the 8th Army in the desert. You couldn鈥檛 buy squash in the shops. At Colwall they had sheds full of sugar when it got damp it used to run out under the doors like syrup!

When France fell, the Germans had whole of Northern France, it was easier for them to get to the Midlands. Malvern seemed to be turning point and you used to get used to seeing and hearing planes at night. If they turned North-West they were going to Birmingham or Coventry. You could see the air go bright with incendiaries and then they were followed by more who dropped their bombs, right in the middle of the light. If they went North they were going to Manchester or Liverpool, they were back within 1/2 hour.

One night my dad said that it had been a long time since they went over at least an hour, they had gone to Scotland.

One night when the Blitz was heavy in London, as it was getting dark no planes came over it was quiet and uncanny so we went out side, my dad and I, as it was a clear night, usually a good night for the bombers.
From our house we could see Brendan Hill and a salmon tinge over the hill. Was it the moon we wondered, no it was glow from heaviest night of bombing in London. There was an amazing constant glow.

All German planes came through the Severn Estuary; it was called the rat run. They came up the Cornish Peninsula, up the Bristol Channel and Severn Estury.
Funnily enough I never saw even 1 plane! I did see one that was shot down in Malvern but never in the sky! Just the drone on and on of them.

Each town had a 鈥淪pitfire Fund鈥�. If the town could raise 拢5000 this would buy a spitfire. The town could have their name printed on them. This area had one called 鈥淭he Malverns鈥�. Worcester had one called 鈥淐ity of Worcester鈥� I think.

As you go up church street in Malvern there were lovely railings. When the shortage of metal made everything so precious, I watched as the man came and removed all the railings, he then went round all the grave yard removing their railings as well.

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Jacci Phillips of the CSV Action Desk at 大象传媒 Hereford and Worcester on behalf of Wilf Mound and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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