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I was at an isolation hospital in Leicester and the matron decided that the people on day duty would sleep on the wards at night once the air-raids started. I had a mattress on the floor in an alcove. I wakened with a TB patient stroking my face, so went to the matron in the morning and said I wouldn’t sleep there again — I would sleep in my room, but when the air-raids started I would dash over to the wards. She didn’t accept this and locked me in my room, till I could be guided over to the ward at the appropriate time. However, a few friends got together and I climbed out of the window, suitcase and all, with no money. I hadn’t been paid. So I went to the Catholic church and borrowed my fare from the priest. I arrived in Liverpool at midnight where a full scale air-raid was in force. We were taken from the train to a shelter near the Adelphi Hotel. A bomb dropped near and we were herded across the road to another shelter underneath St George’s Hall, opposite Lime Street Station.

I eventually got the first tram out to Prescot in the morning, looking much the worse for wear, and arrived at my home in Prescot just as my parents were getting ready to go to 8 o’clock mass. Needless to say they did not go to mass that morning — they were too upset at the sight of me!

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Carole Corney of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Elizabeth Bullen and has been added to the site with his / her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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