大象传媒

This story was submitted to the Peoples War Site by Iain Fyfe of the CSV 大象传媒 Coventry Warwickshire Action Desk on behalf of Mr Dennis Adler and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

At the age of 14 years and having left school in 1939 and being a cadet in the Coventry Division of the St Johns Ambulance Brigade, I voluteered for strecher bearer/messenger duties and was allocated to Gulson Rd Hospital. I was in full time employment but any night sirens sounded I would make my way to the hospital where time would be spent along with the nursing staff in the air raid shelters until casualties arrived. Beween September 1939- November 1940 casualties were brought in but not in great numbers as the Coventry and Warwickshire hospital seemed to be more used.

The night of the 14th November 1940 was "hell" from about 20.00 hours till early morning of the 15th.- casualties came pouring in on any type of vehicle available. I along with the porters and other voluteers were moving injured persons into positions in the wards and corridors, in fact anywhere a streacher could be placed.

Because of the numbers of patients brought in very little attention could be given to all. I found I was giving water and any consolation I could give to people in any breaks we had.

Fortunatly the only (high explosive) bomb that fell on the hospital was on the tennis court. But there were many incendary bombs dealt with. What surprises me when I look back was the quietness in the areas where the casualties were, only the occational call from one in pain. After the raid I stayed at the hospital for 5 days and nights. The morning of the 15th November was as though we were in a daze, it was so unreal, no food or hot drinks.

It was decided after what must have been 2 days that some casualties should be evacuted as it was not possible to treat them all, about 6 Midland Red single decker buses that had been converted to take about 12 strechers. Each bus came to the hospital and were loaded with casualties and set off to a hospital in Bromsgrove.

I was asked to go on one of the buses to assist in looking after the patients along with a nurse.It was really to attend to toilet needs and supply drinks. The journey went via Birmingham and it was night time. When we were there an air raid was in progress so the convoy parked for a while.
Eventually we arrived at Barnsley Hall Emergency Hospital in Bromsgrove. Once our patients had been unloaded by the hospital staff we, the attendants on the buses, were taken care of with food and toilet facilities (even a bath!)

After we had been taken care of it was early morning and we were awaiting transport back to Gulson Rd. I was in one of the wards talking to some of the patients we had brought in, none of whom I knew. I found one turned out to be my uncle who told me that his wife and daughter were also casualties and asked if I could find them. This I did and managed to give some hope.

In my travels to find them I found a young girl about my age who lived in the same road as me. She was naturally very upset because of her injuries and the fact that her parent's did not know where she would be. I told her that as soon as I got back to Coventry I would find them and let them know, which I did. It was some years before I saw her again but had made a complete recovery. I was also able to tell my parents about our relatives who my father was able to visit in Bromsgrove Hospital.

As for me I was I went back to Gulson Road Hospital and helped out in any way I could until about the 5th day after the raid. I collapsed and was admitted with pneumonia. They looked after me.

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