´óÏó´«Ã½

This story has been submitted to the People’s War website by Peter Quinn of the Lancs. Home Guard, on behalf of Joyce Aitken and has been added to the site with Mrs. Aitken’s permission………

During the Manchester blitz (1941) I was 16 years old and lived in Withington. One night in the shelter we heard this terrible explosion and all the windows were shattered and we emerged to find that a landmine had fallen about 500 yards away on Princess Rd. I had to get to work at CWS in Balloon St. but when I set off the trams had stopped so I had to walk about six miles through the city.
Walking through, the city was ablaze — firemen all over, hoses, general chaos. When I got to Balloon St. the building next to ours had been hit and we were herded into the staff canteen. We were then told to go home and report the next day — so I set off again walking back to Withington. I’ll never forget the experience. It was a horrible sight.
I had three older brothers in the army and one on munitions. We eventually found that one was in Singapore when it fell and was wounded and taken prisoner by the Japanese, but at home we didn’t know it, and were a long time before we knew if he was dead or alive. So my mother was continually worried. Thankfully they all came home safe.

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