大象传媒

This is a story of unsung bravery and compassion of an ordinary working class family man during the blitz of 1943..
The story is described by his daughter Beaty Hadland who is my wifes aunt and at the time Beatrice was about 16 years old. Her father John Hunt was a modest man he had served in WW1 in the trenches so did not bother going to the shelter during bombing raids on Birmingham as he had experienced far more adversity in France. It is said by his family that when on active service in WW1 he rescued a nurse and carried her to safety and then went back to his duties.
John lived in Small Heath in Bolton Rd and was a commissionaire for the General Post Office.The Small Heath area was a major target for the German bombers as there was a large weapons factory nearby.
On the night of the event a raid had commenced and John had gone to his local public house, The Sydenam,a member of the public came in and alerted everyone that an incendiary bomb had hit a building nearby across the road in Golden Hillock Rd which was a railway siding.
John went into the Rd and realised the building was a stable, well alight, and the horses were trapped. Without much regard for his own safety he managed to open the doors and went in and herded the horses into the road. He then went home.
When he arrived home his family came out of the shelter in the back garden and were horrified to see the state he was in, he was still in his GPO uniform which was badly charred and parts of it had turned white with the heat, he had a few burns which were treated by his family. At the time his son in-law was in the house and was a member of the home guard so John reported the incident and then went to bed.
Next day John went about his daily routine and went to work.
No one ever found out what happened to the horses, but they were safe.
End.

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