- Contributed by听
- Jonny-Critch
- People in story:听
- Vi (and baby John) Singleton
- Location of story:听
- Liverpool and Preston
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A2740673
- Contributed on:听
- 13 June 2004
Towards the end of 1940 one evening the sirens started to wail Vi grabbed her knitting and a bag containing the baby clothes she had for the imminent arrival of a new life into the world and she rushed to the safety of an air raid shelter along with several others.
The raid was very intensive and when the 鈥渁ll clear鈥 sounded, a weary and tired crowd emerged into the dawn to be met with a scene of total destruction and devastation. Vi, 8 1/2 months pregnant went in search for her home, only to find it had been razed to the ground along with almost everything she owned. The only things left were the baby clothes and the clothes she stood up in. It does not take much imagination how Vi must have felt, but Vi, being Vi, battled on as best she could. She searched around and eventually came across a bread delivery van whose destination was Preston so she approached the driver to ask him for a lift because her in-laws lived in that area. (During wartime, it was the norm to help your neighbour as much as you could so the driver agreed gladly.) Luckily for all concerned the awaited new arrival decided not to put in an appearance at that time, so Vi travelled from Liverpool to Preston in the back of a bumpy bread van. On arrival, she traced her in-laws who she hardly knew and sought refuge with them and the baby boy arrived 3 weeks later.
That baby is now 64 years old. Vi sadly died last year, May 2003 aged 鈥90 years young鈥 and is sadly missed.
鈥淚n those days you didn鈥檛 get any counselling 鈥 you just fought for yourself but had the help of many good Samaritans.鈥 Vi
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