大象传媒

This story was submitted to the Peoples War site by Anne Wareing on behalf of Alan Jaggs and has been added to the site with his permission鈥�

I was only 7 years old in 1939 and I suppose this happened 1940/1941. We lived in Blackrod at the time.

My parents Lily and Harry Jaggs had gone to the pictures in Chorley. I suppose it was Saturday evening since that was the only time they had available in those days.

Part way through the show the air raid warning sounded and everyone had to leave the cinema.
All the buses had stopped and no point in them waiting until after the raid as the last bus Blackrod way, left Chorley at 20h20 and it would be gone that time by the all clear sounded, so they began to walk the 5 miles.
Walking along Westhoughton Rd Adlington by the bottom of Rawlinson Road, near the then knitting factory they heard the German bombers overhead and then the scream of bombs coming down.
My dad pushed my mother on to the ground under the hedge and lay on top of her for protection. They heard several load explosions and when things had quietened down they continued on their way home.
When they came to the end of Westhoughton Road, they saw that the house belonging to Dr. Jack (who was my dad鈥檚 doctor) had received a direct hit. The rescue services were there of course.
It transpired that Dr. Jack and family had all been in the cellar at the time and were safe but shaken.
The spot where the doctor鈥檚 house had been is occupied by the police station now.
Dr. Jack moved his surgery to an empty shop near the White Bear pub. Later a landmine came down nearby, behind the then Gerrards factory. It did not explode until exploded by our bomb disposal soldiers on Saturday morning. It was a tremendous explosion and wrecked the doctor鈥檚 temporary premises.

I do not know the date any of this happened, but I would like to know and I am sure that there are Adlington people around who will know.

Another time we were in the Anderson shelter during another air raid. The shelter was in the back yard and half buried in the ground covered in soil and plants.

My dad, who was an ex regular soldier from the first World War was now a sergeant in the Home Guard, was keeping watch in the street, he shouted, 鈥淵ou should see this,鈥� at around 8 years old nothing was going to stop me and we all ran out to the front.
Our house then was in Chorley Road or Blackrod Brow as everyone knew it ,over looking the Douglas Valley and Rivington Pike. The whole valley was lit up with flares and incendiary bombs, a sight never to be forgotten.
Next day with my brothers we went down to that area by the river Douglas, the place was covered in round holes about 18 inches deep and at the bottom of that hole was a bomb tail fin from the incendiaries. We took a few for souvenirs, but they are long gone now. Again I do not know the date.

Alan Jaggs 11th April 2005

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