大象传媒

My Uncle Jack who lives in Liverpool related this story to me. He has never forgotten this poignant incident, which occurred during WW2.

After a shopping trip in Liverpool Town Centre with his mother (my grandmother) and brother (my uncle), they queued for the bus home at Victoria Monument. As they mounted the bus they could see the enemy planes overhead and the drone of the engines was awe-inspiring.
On the journey out of town the raid began in earnest.

They got as far as Tuebrook, just by the railway bridge and the driver called out 鈥淭hat's it! I鈥檓 not going any further,鈥� He instructed them to get off the bus and head for the nearest air raid shelter. They all started running up Green Lane. My uncle recalls thinking how strange it was to see his mother running, but everyone was running!! They were heading for the air raid shelter, which was by the power station in New Road.

When they got there they heard the warden call out 鈥� Sorry, no more in here, this shelter is full up!!鈥� They had no choice but to run back to West Derby Road where they left the tram. Imagine how they felt鈥hat to do next!! Then a lorry driver called out 鈥� Come on, I鈥檓 going to take this bus out: get in anyone who wants to come with me鈥� so that is what they did and they arrived home safely.

Imagine their feelings when we later that evening the news filtered through that New Road Air Raid Shelter had taken a direct hit with the loss of many lives.

They鈥檇 had a very narrow escape indeed!

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