大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Deena Campbell from CSV Action Desk on behalf of Mr Donald Bonehill and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Bonehill fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I was 8 years old when WW2 broke out and living in Barford Road, Ladywood.
I attended Dudley Road Junior School where we collected money towards a barrage balloon. Eventually a balloon was raised across the road in Summerfield Park proudly carrying the name of the school. Unfortunately it was shot down after three days.

My older sister Doreen and I heard that a delayed fuse bomb had landed in Selwyn Road at the top of the park, close to the railway bridge that crossed the then Harborne Railway Line. A wide area around the bomb was closed off but we crept up the railway line and looked through the railings at the guards, but couldn鈥檛 see the bomb so we went home. When we told our mum she went mad.

A significant park casualty was the children鈥檚 play area behind the bandstand where the swings and roundabouts were bombed.

An emergency pool/reservoir was dug in the grassed area of the Park to compensate for water mains damage and black pipes were laid in the road gutters to distribute water where required.

The local air raid siren was situated at the top of the Police Station at the Dudley Road entrance to the park and was regularly tested for some years after the war was over.

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