- Contributed by听
- Brian Jones
- People in story:听
- Brian Jones and parents plus Longland family
- Location of story:听
- Applemore Hill, Dibden, Hants
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A4124576
- Contributed on:听
- 27 May 2005
Anderson shelters were the norm, but not for us. We enjoyed feeling safe and sound during air raids over the Southampton area sitting inside a hay rick on the local farm.
Farmer Longland had built two traditional hay ricks placing them end to end. He had then cut out an entrance hole in one rick, using the second rick as protective cover for hole. Having made the entrance the farmer then carefully carved out the entire inside of the rick using what was in those days a common hay cutting 'knife'. At ground level a platform of hay was left all round the outside edge to provide seating.
The nearest a bomb came to the shelter was something like 100 metres away if my memory serves me well. The evidence was a large crater at the side of a field.
I was told at the time that the density of the hay was such that it would stop a rifle bullet fired at close range.
The shelter was warm and cosy and dampened sounds from the outside.
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