大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Julia Shuvalova for GMR Actiondesk on behalf of Dora Winifred Fielding and has been added with her permission. The author is fully aware of the terms and conditions of the site.

On Sunday, 22 December 1940, at the age of sixteen, my friend and I left her home in Greengate, Salford, where I had stayed the previous night. We took the bus to Piccadilly, Manchester, where I was to catch another bus to return home.

... bus was standing in the station and as were saying our goodbyes the air raid sirens started to sound. Immediately I boarded the bus as all lights were extinguished and the bus drove out of the station.

I had a journey of approximately 5 miles to my destination and when I was about half-way home there was the sound of aircraft droning and anti-aircraft guns started to fire. With a 10 min. walk from the end of the journey to my house fear gripped me as shrapnel was falling all around. Twice as I ran home door opened and the occupants shouted for me to take cover - but I had to get home.

Inside my door my mother quieted me with relief - no phones in those days - and I stood shivering and shaking until I finally felt secure. There was no rest for the family that night, with searchlights beaming, aircraft droning, bombs dropping and guns blasting we spent the night huddled together under the stairs in the centre of the house.

It was several days before I knew that Joan was safe. Huge fires rages all around the Post Office where she lived next door to the Greengate and Irwell Reibber-bo. She and her family spent the night providing food and drinks for the many firemen all around there.

Their home and family, like mine, were untouched!

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