大象传媒

My father in law, Derek, spent the war on a farm in Kent where he lived with his Aunt and Uncle in one of the farm worker's cottages. Derek was very young, around 9 when war broke out. He has told me of the first time he saw German planes pass overhead, fearful and astonished "I realised that I wasn't going to make it through this war. But after that realisation things didn't matter so much - and I had the best time of my life!" The voice of a resiliant child!

One day, whilst playing in the fields, Derek discovered an old crater made during one of the recent bombings. On closer investigation, he discovered an unexploded shell still visible within it's walls. Jumping enthusiastically into the crater to remove his find, Derek decided this was a job for his wheelbarrow and ran back to his cottage to procure the barrow. Once he had removed the shell from the hole, he triumphantly wheeled his trophy back to the home of his aunt and uncle and tipped the still live shell out onto the concrete flooring (luckily without incedent). He called his uncle to inspect his prize. Seeing the bomb rattling on the hard floor his uncle exclaimed "You can't keep that here son, if that goes off it'll give her indoors a hell of a headache!!!"

Unperturbed by his uncles dissaproval, Derek heaved the weapon back into his wheelbarrow and made for the town. Needless to say he was welcomed with screams of dismay on arrival, and the bomd squad were soon called. Derek's bomb was to be taken away, and he watched as they loaded up his trophy. As the van made off however, reaslising they were taking his prized possesion off to be destroyed, Derek made after the van crying "Oi! That's my bomb, you can't have it". The patient squadren them allowed Derek to come along for the ride and watch as they safely detonated the bomb under controlled circumstances - still able however to give his aunt somewhat more than the 'headache' his uncle had been afraid off!

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