大象传媒

This story has been added to the People鈥檚 War website by Jenny Burnett on behalf of Grace Port. Grace has given her permission and understands the sites terms and conditions.

When the sirens went we would go out the back garden gate to the air raid shelter called the 鈥淎bbey Ruins鈥�. We went in the middle one, with our neighbours 鈥� about 10 people altogether. One man would stand outside to fire watch. This particular time he was swearing 鈥渄own, down, bloody well stay down鈥� We could hear it flapping, the sound of the parachute mine as it came near. It was close, eventually went down in the next road. When we went out of the shelter, he was lying on the ground. I said, 鈥淢r Austin are you dead?鈥� 鈥淣o, I鈥檓 looking for my bloody glasses鈥� They鈥檇 been blown off.

Another man with us went to his house to see if his Dad was alright. He would never come to the shelters 鈥� a lot of men didn鈥檛. A little while later he came back 鈥淚鈥檒l bloody murder him 鈥� he鈥檚 got a little candle and he鈥檚 standing up reading a book with no roof on the house!鈥� His Dad was a real old grouch.

96 houses were taken. We had no roof, and I remember the curtains in shreds and the sound of it flapping. A sailor went by; he had blood on him and was going to the hospital. He said, 鈥淣ever mind your curtains, Mother, you鈥檝e got your life鈥�

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