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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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Contributed by听
The CSV Action Desk at 大象传媒 Wiltshire
People in story:听
Donald Greaves
Location of story:听
Birmingham
Background to story:听
Civilian
Article ID:听
A6113053
Contributed on:听
12 October 2005

During a raid in November 1940, a stick of bombs fell among the houses on a Birmingham Council Estate. Only two houses were completely destroyed and a few damaged.
One bomb fell between the shelter I was in and our next door neighbours. We felt that we were very lucky getting out with just a few cuts and bruises.
The family went back into our home to find the electricity, gas and water had been cut off. So we decided to go back to bed as it was only 2am and the 'All Clear' had gone.
Having no lights, I felt my way back to my bedroom. I found my bed, now covered with plaster, which I scraped away, and climbed into bed, and fell asleep. Only to wake up next morning feeling cold. The bedroom wall was missing. Only the window frame remained, and day light could be seen through the roof.
The Council workmen came and covered the roof with a large tarpaulin, and ply-wood sheet as a wall.
At school we found that one bomb that fell in the road near the school had not 'gone off', or was a time bomb (U.X.B) The school and houses were evacuated, all windows left open. The Royal Engineers came, but were unable to pull the bomb out because the water main was still gushing water all over the road.
The Co-op milkman's horse was used to pull the bomb out of the hole to allow the Sapper Officer to get underneath the bomb to extract the fuse.
We all cheered and we all patted the horse, and fed him with all the carrots we could find.
Even though most of the windows at the front of the school were broken, the next day we were back at school doing out lessons either in the air raid shelter or the school corridors.
Tedbury Crescent School only lost one day of lessons.

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