大象传媒

As a young child, I lived in Upper Belvedere. From the end of our road we had a superb view of the Thames at Erith and we often stood and watched the shipping moving up and down the river. It was very busy in those days.

This particular day, as usual we stopped to watch and saw large puffs of smoke from a ship on the river. Although we heard bangs we wondered what was happening. As we watched, we realised that it was gunfire coming from a ship. We stood and watched for a while and assumed it was an exercise being held. After a while, we continued our walk and thought no more about it until my father came home from work. He was in a reserved occupation im Woolwich Arsenal so had not gone into the forces. As we sat down to have our supper together, we told him what we had seen earlier. I remember being told by my father not to say anything about it to anyone. I can remember asking why, and I was told because I hadn't seen anything. Even though both my mother and I insisted that we had we were both told that we HAD NOT SEEN ANYTHING AND TO KEEP QUIET ABOUT IT.

Some time later,I can't remember how much later, we both asked my father again about this incident. He informed us that a German ship had sailed up as far as Erith before it was attacked. However he swore us to secrecy as nobody was ever to know what had actually happened.

Many years later I learnt that this had indeed happened but it was 'classified information'. Even to this day, I have never heard anybody refer to this battle although I do know that it did actually take place before my very eyes.

Another thing I remember was our "air raid siren".

It belonged to our next door neighbour and gave advanced warning of the approach of a doodle-bug.
This "air raid siren" was able hear the approaching doodle-bug" long before we could and would stand and look in the direction of the missile and would remain in that position until the danger had passed. If it came close, then it would honk. Again it would continue honking until the danger had passed. If by chance, it came dangerously close, it would run like mad and hide.
Our much valued "air raid siren" was, in fact, a goose which lived in our neighbours' garden as a much valued pet!

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