大象传媒

I am writing this on behalf of Hilda Ashwell nee Pummell my sister-in-law.

I was bombed out of 63 Eve Road, West Ham, in the big raid on the Docks in the East End of London. The Germans dropped bombs on the factories that were by the side of the Docks.

By the time they had had finished I don't think there were many factories or Ships left that were in the Docks at the time. It was the big raid on London in September, ( I am not sure, but I think it was the 14th 1940).

Mu Dad had gone to work and my sister Kitty had gone shopping in Stratford, so when the Sirens sounded I took our dog Nibby to the to the air-raid shelter in the garden.

I heard lots of loud bangs with all the bombs that were dropping, I looked out of the shelter to see two planes fighting overhead, I saw one come down it fell in the gardens on the other side of the road. After awhile the all clear sounded, so I took Nibby and went out into the road, our house seemed to be alright.

The A.R.P. Warden came along , he was telling everybody they had to move out as they thought some bombs had been dropped. It was the German Fighter that came down and had dropped all his bombs as he came down.

The Warden said I had better leave my dog indoors as there was a lot of broken glass on the ground, so we all went to the school to wait and see if we could go home.

The Warden asked my friends mum, if she would look after me till they could find my Dad. I think I must have been about 12 years old.

My Dad was told the house in Eve Road had been hit, so he rushed home from work to find me, the Warden told him I was in the school and alright. I was so glad to see him, I thought I might have to be there on my own all night.

Dad took me to my eldest sister-in-laws house in Myra Street, West Ham. The Warden would'nt let us go back and get Nibby.

About 3 hours later the Germans thought it a good idea to come back just in case some of the London Docks were still standing. So this time they bombed us with Fire bombs, so once again I was in a shelter in the garden , but this time I was'nt alone. Like the day-time raid it was a very nasty and terryfying raid but, once again we came through OK!

Next day we went to Eve Road, the house was half gone, with the one next door. My poor Nibby I thought must have been killed, but as we stood there, out she came, all dusty and coughing, but very much alive.

Nibby lived another eight years after the war.

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