大象传媒

By 1939, strange new buildings were being put up in the playground of our school.We soon found out that they were called "air-raid shelters"
During the heaviest air-raid of the blitz on Birmingham,Bessie, our bull-dog terrier bitch,gave birth to five pups in the burnt out cupboard next to the chimney breast where the electric meter was installed. it was all melted and charred, and she must have gone through agonies all alone in the dark that night!
It was no surprise after that when she started to have fits and bite everything and everybody in sight. Soon she would have to be put down.My brother and I pleaded for her life,but in vain.My dad took her for a walk and came back alone with her collar and lead hanging from his overcoat pocket.He hung them from a hook in the pantry.
Goodbye Bess - but hallo Jim!
That was the name of the pup we chose from the litter. He looked just like his mom - pink and white with a small black spot over his left eye.
Once, when an unexploded bomb had landed just up the street from us, we were told by an army officer in charge of the bomb disposal squad that we must all leave our houses immediately and that we could take a few personal effects, but no pets.
"What, leave our dog - Not on your life,mate!"
"Sorry,no pets" he repeated,and walked off down the yard, slapping the side of his leg with a swagger stick.
My brother and I were already tying a length of rope around the dog's neck.We had lost Bessie's collar in a previous air-raid and never bought another one until after the war was ended.
My mother had my little sister in the pram, with a few things piled on top."Come on you two" she shouted - " and don't leave the dog!"
We didn't - and the bomb was made safe.Afterwards,we had a whip-round for the disposal squad which they spent in the Cromwell Arms(our local pub)

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