大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a London CSV volunteer on behalf of John Gordon Burton and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

The year is 1944 and it was the first night that VI doodlebugs hit London. My Cousin, Geoffrey Cannon (17 years old), was on fire watch in the Majestic Cinema, while the other four of us were in the street outside. It was late in the evening. There had been no bombing or air raid sirens for three or four weeks (we were all waiting to be called up for military service). Suddenly, the sirens sounded and anti-aircraft guns opened up. My cousin, who was now on the roof of the Majestic Cinema, shouted down to us in the street below: 鈥淐ome up here and see, we are shooting down planes right, left and centre!鈥�

With that he came down, opened up the shutters and let us in. We went up to the roof through the projection room.

Sure enough you could see these planes! With their tails alight crashing to the ground, so we were cheering, little knowing they were flying bombs. I think it was two days later the government announced what they were. We didn鈥檛 cheer them after that.

My cousin Geoffrey Cannon was assistant projectionist at the cinema which has now been demolished. The other four of us lived very adjacent to the cinema in St Mark鈥檚 Road, Mitcham.

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