大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Plymouth Library Services on behalf of Bertram Terrell. The author fully understands the terms and conditions' of the website.

John and I were on fire-watch duty one night, in an office near Albert Gate, when we heard the sound of an aircraft reconnoitring so we decided to go outside to check. We decided it was unmistakeably German.

At that moment it dropped a string of flares, we rushed back to the office, picked up the telephone and rang the passive defence headquarters which was on the first floor of the same building, asking if they had had a purple warning. (a preliminary warning not passed to the public) They said no, so I suggested they get on to Mount Wise and report an aircraft dropping flares. At that moment came the sound of bombs coming close. I yelled duck into the phone and dived under a solid wood table. They of course had no refuge.

It took a long time to live that one down.

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