大象传媒

THIS STORY IS ABOUT ONE OF THE FIRST V-1 FLYING BOMBS WHICH HIT THE SHOLING AREAOF SOUTHAMPTON ON JULY 12th 1944 AT ABOUT 1am.
IN A ANDERSON SHELTER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN WERE MYSELF BRIAN (TEN YEARS) MY BROTHER RAYMOND (SIX YEARS)AND OUR MOTHER GLADYS,FATHER WAS SERVING IN BELGIUM.
WE HEARD THE STRANGE MISFIRING SOUND OF THE BOMB COMING OVER ,SUDDENLY IT WENT SILENT THEN THERE WAS A MASSIVE EXPLOSION WHICH DESTROYED OUR HOUSE AND ABOUT A DOZEN OTHERS IN THE ROAD.
THE BOMB FELL IN A ORCHARD 1.8 METRES FROM THE SHELTER,I THINK WE WERE SAVED BY A BLAST WALL OUTSIDE THE SHELTER DOOR BUILT BY OUR GRANDFATHER THE DAY BEFORE.
AFTER WE WERE DUG OUT WE WERE AMAZED TO SEE THE HOUSE ROOF AT SUCH A STRANGE ANGLE,THE BATH WAS IN A APPLE TREE AND SEVERAL SMALL FIRES WERE BURNING.
LUCKILY NO ONE LOST THIER LIFE EXCEPT OUR BUDGIE.
AFTER THE WAR THE HOUSES WERE REBUILT AND WE MOVED BACK TO THE SAME SPOT.
TO THIS DAY I AM STILL VERY NERVOUS OF LOUD OR SUDDEN NOISES AND HAVE SYMPATHY WITH PEOPLE IN SUCH SITUATIONS.

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