大象传媒

As the evacuees were coming to our school we all had to take turns in classes. One week we all went to school in the mornings and the evacuees in the afternoon and vice versa the next week. Our schooling in those day was not very good, and were always tired spending half the night down in the Anderson air raid shelter which dad had put in the garden. It was quite comfortable with some matresses and blankets etc, and mum had a primus stove to boil a kettle to make a hot drink.

This particular day we were in class and heard these planes coming over. One young lad shouted "it's Germans", get under the desk". I always sat by my friend Maureen Ferris (now Mrs Bowden) and behind me sat two bous John Norley and Tony Bowhay. They pused us under the desk and John and Tony laid on top of us and John said to me "are you frightened" and I said "No" and he said "I am". The bombs that day dropped just below the school and had the siren gone before they dropped the bombs we would have all been killed. The Germans used to fly in low so that the radar couldn't always detect them.k

Sadly, John died several years ago and he is burried in Drake Memorial Park, just along the road from here in Merofield. I often visit his grave and have a little work and prayer there. I believe Tony Bowham is still living in Totnes and he was a Fireman. I would love to meet him again just 'for old times sake'. You may be able to contact him through the Totnes Times Newspaper, and Totnes Fire Brigade.

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