大象传媒

Being patriotic I joined the opening of the A.R.P movement, sensing war would occur in late 1938. Due to my age I had to enrole as in (sic) the 鈥渕essenger service鈥� but the training was virtually the same as for an adult Warden; with the coming of the bombings in 1940 and the shortage of wardens in heavily bombed areas I took over full Wardens duties with rota and airraid (sic) duties along with my father and others. Being only 15 at the time I was probably the youngest warden in Birmingham! I was equipped with tin hat (black) de-? gas mask and whistle. My official A.R.P. badge was received in August 1939. I still have it here.

South Birmingham received more than its fair share of bombs due to its geography; German planes were flying up from airfields in northern France due south of us. Our only protection was an anti-aircraft 鈥渂lock barrage鈥� AA guns located for their southern approach. Some aircraft didn鈥檛 want to fly through it and released their bomb load which then fell on the southern parts of the city, keeping us busy! For others the prime target was the B.S.A. works not far away. This target was eventually hit on a daylight raid with heavy casualties (In early 41 I believe). After leaving school I was directed to work there for a short period of time, after which I became a temporary member B鈥檋am Council employee.

Its going back a long way but two quite minor incidents both concerning incenderie (sic) bombs stick in my mind due to unexpected participation. (1) Whilst sheltering we heard the sound of falling incenderies and going out we saw one in the gutter burning in a peculiar pattern and an unknown pedestrian standing close by who should not have been there. Stirrup pumps and sand did not seem to extinguish it, it kept starting up again. Out of curiosity we eventually asked this mysterious gentleman if he knew anything to explain this odd matter and he said 鈥渙h yes, I was walking down the road when this bomb fell nearby and burst into flames, so I put my trilby hat over it!鈥� One of our managers was a manager for 鈥淔oster Brothers鈥� clothing and the gentleman was given a note for a free replacement hat.

The second which comes to mind was when a shower of incenderies landed in our sector with the quantity we blew our whistles and manual help arrived from the neighbours. Those that fell on the roadway or in gardens were all extinguished regardless of the fact that in some the Germans had incorporated and explosive devise designed to injure anyone nearby. It was only then that we observed a bright shaft of light coming through the roof of a house opposite.

One had gone through smashing several tiles and the occupants were totally unaware that they had a fire in their roof space. We banged on the front door which was opened by a middle age lady who looked completely blank when told her house was on fire and we rushed past making for the stairs. In the lounge a gentleman in his early seventies just sat motionless and silent in an armchair. To get at the rest of the fire we had to get into the roof space and I being the smallest and lightest was hoisted up into the roof to see just what the position was. The area was full of acrid smoke but I could make out the bomb burning brightly in the far corner on the rafters which were just catching fire. I threw wet sand on the area but this did not extinguish the fire.

In the bedroom below a rosy red area was forming in the ceiling and observed by our senior warden who dashed downstairs returning with a broom and began poking the red ceiling. The lady of the house came running in shouting 鈥渨atch the carpet, watch the carpet鈥�. Bugger your carpet said the senior warden, help move the bed, and with that done he gave the ceiling a thump with the broom stick. Down came the ceiling together with the bomb now in three parts, still burning, together with rubble and wet sand. All were quickly dealt with, but it didn鈥檛 do the carpet any good! On the way out we noticed the elderly gentleman still sitting in his arm chair. They seemed oblivious to the war going on outside.

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