大象传媒

We had a lot more going on in Bournemouth during the war than many people think. My father was head of the ARP in the Queens Park district of the town and chief incident officer. He was appointed before the war started, so early in 1939 he was starting to organise things.

My first memory, as a nine year old in 1939, was of all the gas masks stored in our front room. We couldn't get rid of the smell of rubber for ages.

A funny story about my father was when there was a daytime raid. He wanted to get to his post as quickly as he could, so he borrowed my bike. I'll always remember him going down the road with his knees up to his chin.

All the hotels in Bournemouth were full of US, Canadean and British servicemen waiting to go acros the channel. They had a big lunchtime raid on 23rd May 1943. Three hotels had direct hits. There were many injuries.

I got machine gunned once. I was coming up Ashley Road, I was 11 at the time, and could hear "pop pop pop". I looked up and saw Messerschmit plane. I was the only one in the road so he was firing at me! Everyone told me to take cover quick.

On another occasion one of my cousins friends was bombed. His house received a direct hit; he'd left the shelter to get a toy when his house was hit.

After Dunkirk, the town was full of Frenchmen. They had a different attitude to us. In a way they were more carefree and less disclipined.

My fathers' grocery business had stalls on the pavement; fruit and vegetables. My father once gave some servicemen free food. They were from the British Expeditionary Force and they said they were the forgotten army. They much appreciated what he did in giving them food.

(PK)

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