- Contributed by听
- GeorgeStephensonHigh
- People in story:听
- Ronald Race
- Location of story:听
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A4276668
- Contributed on:听
- 26 June 2005
Ronald Race was barely 18 years old when the war started. He was put in as a reserved occupation, an engineer. During his time at home he was also a fireman - after air raids he would be responsible for putting out the fires, he was even involved in the great New Bridge Street fire! In all of his years as a fireman he rose to the rank of leading fireman, earning himself a medal for his skills.
One story in particular he remembers is a Nazi plane flying over his Town and realising that it was low enough to shoot!!! Ronald instantly rose to the challenge, running to the towns anti-aircraft gun, he mounted it and started shooting the aircraft. A close chase ensued, the plane evaded swiftly, swerving left and right and all the time diving lower and lower. Ron followed it carefully almost hitting it, determination personified. Eventually when the plane was just over the town Ron managed to get a perfect hit in, one of his greatest achievements. The plane went down and when it was over with instead of getting rewarded, he got punished, which was very harsh for helping his country win a terrible war! He was firing to low and got a formal warning for it without so much as a well done!!
After this Ron learned his lesson, leave saving the town to someone else!!!!!!
By Steven Burns, Christopher Walton & Martin Tomlinson (all Y9 students from George Stephenson High School, Killingworth, Newcastle upon Tyne).
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