大象传媒

This war story covers 2 families and the loss of 10 killed for this country and what happened.

My Mum worked for Churchill at Admiralty. My brother was evacuated to Lewes near Brighton and placed in a house we thought was a stable.
My Mum brought him home.

September 7th 1940, Stepney, London E1. 19 Blaksely Street. Sirens went, clear blue sky, vapour trails all over sky, looked for my Mum and was told she had gone to Gran鈥檚 house for family meeting. Was pulled into entrance by our milkman who called me a few names, walked down Dean St. E.1. into Blaksely Street, Saturday afternoon, ten feet away and the house disappeared. Next thing I knew was a cigarette in my mouth and a man saying, 鈥淭his will calm you鈥�. Saw Mr. Coggins walk across the top of our house and asked did he see Mum. He said, 鈥淵es, at the window鈥�. The house was flat. All told, seven of family dead, but no Mum. We found her 24 hours later. Our other house, 73 Exmouth Street, was blown up after we buried the family, i.e. seven. This affected my Mum. I was in RAF and asked for compassionate leave. My group captain asked if I knew a war was on and I was called a flea-ridden, bug-ridden, dirty eastender who never saw a bath, and I was a communist and must be coming from Stepney E1. Words were said. I was put in detention. WHY, WHY. My wife had five brothers in the forces, one in an exempt job. He was given a white feather. My back was fractured in four places. I lost the sight in right eye and deaf in left ear while in the RAF.
I came back to England but had nowhere to live. I was sleeping on the floor in Northolt, Middlesex. I was told I could not go on the housing list at Stepney as I was not a Londoner!

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