大象传媒

As told by Mrs Phylis Gardner to Alan Brigham on 10th July 2005

My husband had the unfortunate distinction of being the first Naval serviceman to be killed while home on leave from his unit.

Two landmines fell in the Hessle Road area on the night of 31st March/1st April 1941, and a great number of houses were destroyed, with the loss of much life. One mine fell in the Newton Street area, behind the Nautical School, and a second fell on the Priory Railway Sidings. Our home was bombed out and I received 拢5.00 compensation as a result. I never received any help from the British Legion as they said 鈥溾�� you鈥檙e only young, you can get married again.鈥� I was 24 years old at the time. I have heard a lot of similar stories with widows simply being left to bring up their young families, on their own, for the rest of their lives. These are the stories that no one ever gets to hear.

I was told by the warden that my husband had been taken to the Western General Hospital on what is the present-day site of Hull Royal Infirmary on Anlaby Road. He had no visible injuries but I knew straight away that it was serious; just from the look of him. When they put a needle into him, the blood from his internal injuries gushed out. It was a terrible sight.

On the day before he died I was reciting the Lord鈥檚 Prayer with him and, when he kept getting it all wrong, I knew he didn鈥檛 have long left.

He passed away at 10:30 on the morning of 9th April 1941, aged 26, and I have been comforted ever since remembering the words of Dr Philip Science who told me that I should praise The Lord that he had passed on as he only had suffering to look forward to, had he lived.

It was only a very short time later that I met one of his friend and discovered that my husband's ship had been lost with all hands.

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