大象传媒

This story has been submitted to the People's War site with the permission of Mrs Muscott on behalf of the Rushden Historical Society.

My sister and I both worked in the closing room of John Cave and we were there on that auful morning when the bombs dropped. I had just left my bench to ask my sister if she had any lunch left when it happened. The noise was terrfic and also just at that moment the sprinkler valve broke and we were soaked through with water. I grabbed her hand and pushing another lady we pushed to get outside. Standing in the yard very shocked I remember taking my smock off and leaving it on the yard floor.

I think the clicking room had the worst of it. I saw one poor gentleman lying on top of the bicylce shed roof. I used to cycle to work but that morning I completely forgot about it, as we hurried away to get home. Living in Spencer Road at the time we had to go through the High Stret past Bates fish and chip shop which had been blown up. There was also an unexploded mine near the railyway bridge which we didn't know about until later.

I went back the next day for my bicycle and stayed to help with the cleaning up. Most of the work was ruined as everywhere was awash with water.

If I had been sitting where I should have been I would have been cut very badly by glass. There was a glass partition that ran the length of the closing room which of course was smashed to bits.

It was a terrible day and also we must remember the poor children who died in Alfred Street School.

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