大象传媒

As a child throughout the war years I lived in a small villiage called Horndean which is about 10 miles north of Portsmouth on the A3 London road. Although we didn't get much bombing my Dad Albert told us a lot about it because on some nights he did firewatching duties in Portsmouth Dockyard where he worked.We got very careful when the bombing was on, and slept in a my Uncles' Air Raid Shelter for safety whenever necessary. Another Aunt and Uncle had to live with us for a while when they were bombed out,so we were well aware of the dangers. However as 1941 passed into 1942 and then 1943 and the bombing of Portsmouth subsided the fears lessened and we got a bit blase.
And then the V1 flying bombs which we called "Doodlebugs arrived. These rocket bombs were mainly targeted on London but a few came close and we hated the fact that when the engine stopped you had no idea where the bomb would land. One evening my Dad, my Mum Ellen and I were walking along the A3 towards Horndean villiage when we heard one of these bombs. At first we just listened but then the engine stopped. Dad said " Quick, jump into the hedge! " and we did. This proved to be pretty nasty because it was a thorn hedge also full of stinging nettles. There was an explosion many miles away so we gingerly pulled ourseves out of the hedge and began pulling out thorn prickles and trying to ease the sting pains. Suddenly my Dad and I realised that Mum was laughing herself silly. At first we thought it was relief, but then she said " Why did we do that? It was so silly" I said "Why?" and she replied " That hedge wouldn't stop a Doodle bug!" Dad looked a bit sheepish but I knew deep down that if it happened again we would do the same thing.

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