大象传媒

This story was added on behalf of (Maggie Mitchell) by (Jane Barnes) of London CSV volunteers. The author is aware of the site's terms and conditions.

I was born in Greenford, Middlesex in January 1940.
One day I was, about 6 months of age and was outside in the garden in my pram. The air raid siren went off and my mother brought me inside of the house.

A doodlebug (Either a V1 or V2 Bomb) was heading towards our house.
My parents could hear the bomb and both raced across the room and dived on top of my pram to protect me. The bomb directly hit the house next door. The ceiling in our house fell in and the water tank burst. My parents were both covered in debris from the ceiling, but I was safe. If my mother had not brought me in from the garden, I would definitely have been killed!
We were bombed out as a result of the bomb and had to move in with another family in Hayes, for 2 years.

I also remember when I was about 3-4 years of age sitting in the cupboard under the stairs with the cat, when the air raid sirens went off.
Greenford was near to all the ammunition factories on the Western Avenue (A40) and also RAF Northolt and so was often a target for German Bombers.

My dad wasn鈥檛 in the war, due to his disability. However he was a special constable in the Metropolitan police. He worked in the aircraft factory during the day and 3 nights a week served at Whitehall. On V.E Day he rode on the running board of Winston Churchill鈥檚 car. I believe their may be television footage of this, but I have never been able to confirm it.

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