大象传媒

Among the many memories I have of W.W.2., the one my grandchildren love to hear about is the time when I was about 12 years of age (in 1942) and I heard 'on the grapevine' that during an air raid the previous evening, a number of incendiary bombs has been dropped.

Some of them had landed in a small river nearby called the MarDyke at North Stifford: so, being very inquisitive (as 12 year olds are!) a friend and I cycled over to see what we could find to go with our collection of shrapnel etc.

As we crossed a wooden bridge over the river we looked down and saw some fins sticking out of the mud near the bank.

We scrambled down the bank to where I just managed to reach one of them.

I pulled hard and it came out with a loud sucking noise. I washed the mud off to see the bomb clearly. It was about 15" long and about 3" in diameter and painted red about 4" from the bottom.

Tucking it into the waistband of my trousers, I cycled the 2 miles home thinking "I hope it doesn't go off!"

When we arrived home, my pal and I put a nail into the hole at the bottom and dropped it over a chalk-pit cliff at the end of my garden. IT DIDN'T GO OFF!

So - we climbed down to retrieve it and try again. Our local ARP warden looked over his fence as we were on our way up again and asked what I had in my hand.

We told him the story and in a very stern voice, Mr. Moore, whom I knew very well, said "You give that to me, young Tom! - Do you know what that is? It is an explosive incendiary bomb and the red end contains 3oz. of Ammonal, a powerful explosive - it could blow you to bits!"

We sheepishly handed it over - and it made me think again "I'm glad it didn't go off!"

Tom Haines

This story has been entered by Terry Greenwood on behalf of Tom Haines who has given his written permission so to do.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.