大象传媒

This story has been written onto the 大象传媒 Peoples War site by CSV Storygatherer Jane Chanter on behalf of V.J.Cozens. The story has been added to the site with her permission and V.J Cozens fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

On August 12th 1942, a bomb fell on 16, Highwell Road, Seaton, Devon, killing John and May Eeles, two evacuees living with them,Stella and June Moore, and Elizabeth Woolacott who was visiting. The mother of the evacuees had been on a visit two weeks earlier and they had begged to return to London with her as they were homesick. Sadly they were due to go home shortly after they were killed.

On that fateful day I was due to go to play and have tea with them. My father was the manager of SWEB and we lived in the flat above the shop. On that afternoon a load of builder's sand was delivered at the rear of the premises. my friend Jean Claridge (who had been sent to stay with her grandmother in Seaton to avoid the bombing raids in Birmingham), and I were having a lovely time making sandcastles. I had forgotten the time and my mother called me to hurry up as I was late going to Highwell Road. Just at that moment there was a terrible bomb blast and the rest you know.

I remember the ladies from 'Lorelei' the hairdressers next door all rushed outside with curlers in their hair! Later that evening a Policeman came to our flat and showed me a ring with a Devon pixie on it. He asked me if I'd seen it before - I had, it was Stella's. I will always be grateful to whoever ordered that lorry load of sand - but for that I should not be writing this.

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