大象传媒

On D day there was an air armada over Hailsham of everything imaginable. The flying bombs started almost immediately and came over day and night. At the time they seemed more exciting than frightening - they made so much noise that their presence was very obvious. I remember being in the High Street when one came over with a fighter on each side appearing to be holding it up by their wing tips to get it over the town - they may well have prevented a major disaster.

My own close encounter came towards the end of the flying bomb era. There were two or three of us at White Dyke watching the fun and games as usual when a V1 was hit by the guns and started staggering. It was pounced on by a Tempest fighter which gave it the coup de grace and it plunged earthwards. By this time it was getting alarmingly close and I really thought my last moment had come. We all raced indoors and I had got to the corner of the kitchen, by the cellar steps, when it exploded. It blew open the front door and flung me diagonally across the kitchen, fortunately with no harm, but several cows were injured and a pet lamb blown into a brick tank and drowned.

This story was entered onto the site by Charlie Sever with permission from Thelma Walker on behalf of her late husband, Graham. Thelma fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.