- Contributed by听
- Terryoneill
- People in story:听
- Terrance O'Neill
- Location of story:听
- Clayton, Manchester 11
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A2701225
- Contributed on:听
- 04 June 2004

A photo of me with my mum, dad and older sister taken about 1943-44
I lived at 109 Astley Street Clayton, Manchester 11, during the war and was six at the start and twelve at the end.
The Clayton area in Manchester was a target for the Luftwaffe because of the local chemical and steel industries.
I Remember going into our air raid shelter as the sirens went off. Some nights we had to stay in there all night. There was no electricity in the shelter and it was lit by small night lights (tea lights) which were the only lights we had around.
On one occasion, we had to move out of our shelter when three land mines landed close by, one on Aston new road near Clayton conservative club, one in bank street (near where the Velodrome is today) and one in Foxdale street (within 200yds from our house) which went right though a house roof and through a baby鈥檚 cot (although the baby was in it鈥檚 shelter at the time so was unscathed).
When we were allowed to return to our houses and the mines had been disarmed we went to look at them. One still had its parachute attached and all the locals were crowding around cutting pieces of its parachute off as souvenirs.
I also remember barrage balloons in Clayton Park and the local recreation ground, known as the 鈥渞ed rec鈥 and an anti-aircraft gun situated in Phillips Park near the gas works (Near the City of Manchester stadium).
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