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Here is a tale from Salford in Lancashire in 1941. At the bottom end of Peel Park
there is a lane that separates it from Lewis's Rec,. The said lane connects Hough Lane
foot bridge with the Walness and Frederick Road. Mr. Lewis was the benefactor of
the recreation ground and also of the open air school which is, or was, on the Walness
side.
Lewis's rec was, and as far as I know still is, covered in grass, unlike the rec across the
Irwell river, Spike Island, which was clinker, and now houses.
At last the story. ( About time you might very well say).
In the middle of Lewis's rec, at this time, was a troop of heavy ack ack. ( Royal
Artillery. Anti - Aircraft) It consisted of a 3.7 mark 3A ordnance (gun) a predictor
Nissan huts etc,.
Midsummer, cloudless blue sky, midday. I suppose all summer's are warm and
cloudless when your ten. Anyhow as I say it was 12 o clock, dinner time, not lunch in
those days, as we trooped out of St. Andrews and then the air raid sirens sounded, so
we all belted, like bats out of hell, for the foot bridge and over it into the lane. There
to see the gunners take station and man the gun. Sure enough, high in the sky, a silver
plane appeared. I assume it was a recognisance aircraft it didn't drop any bombs or
anything, like they were prone to do at this time.
The shells from our gun exploded harmlessly, cotton wool poufs, yards under the
plane. Never the less it was a smashing show. The Lane was crowded from end to end
and we all cheered like billyho.
It must have been three o clock when we got back into school. nothing was said.
because, you see, the teachers were there as well.

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