大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Charles Smith with his permission. The Author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

My name is Charles Smith; I鈥檓 nearly 13 years old, the eldest of four children of Thomas and Florence Smith of Kingsley Road, Sneinton, Nottingham. I have two brothers, Lionel aged 5 and Alec aged 2. My sister Mary has just been born on January 11th 1941 at the City Hospital. Lionel has been sent to Uncle Sam鈥檚 at Clipstone near Mansfield. Dad said that the rest of us could sleep in the back bedroom.

The sirens woke me up and I asked Dad 鈥淪hould we get up?鈥� He said 鈥淣o need, lad, they鈥檙e going back to Germany. They鈥檝e probably been bombing Sheffield so go back to sleep鈥�

Talk about 鈥渇amous last words鈥� 鈥� there was a bang and we were all covered in plaster, slates, timber and bricks.

I remember saying 鈥渨e鈥檙e trapped鈥� and I also remember Dad鈥檚 reply 鈥淪illy beggar鈥�!

I looked out and could see Trent Lane 鈥� the wall had been blown off the house.

We slid out of bed the best we could because the brass bed was supporting what was left of the roof.

Dad said 鈥淚鈥檒l see if the stairs are still there鈥� and I followed him with Alec. We got out into the street and there were some air raid shelters made out of brick 鈥� there were no lights in and they stank to high heaven. Dad made us children wait in there whilst he went to find somewhere safe.

It seemed to be ages before he came back and he took us to a neighbour鈥檚 Anderson Shelter. Her name was Mrs Cumberland and her son had made it quite comfy. It wasn鈥檛 until we were able to sit down that I realised that I had no trousers on 鈥� only a school shirt!

I really felt the indignity of the situation.

After the 鈥榓ll clear鈥� Mrs Flynn who lived at 16, Whittier Road took us to her house for breakfast. Dad went back to our house and salvaged some clothes.

We stayed with Mrs. Flynn for a week and then went to stay with old friends 鈥� Frank & Rose Fitzmaurice of Holborn Avenue until the Council re-housed us.

I鈥檝e often thought if that night but I鈥檝e also thought about my Dad who had to go to tell my Mum (who鈥檇 only given birth a few days before) that she didn鈥檛 have a home to go back to.

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