大象传媒

On the night of 22/23 November 1940 we were bombed out. The house 2 doors away received a direct hit. But it meant that our home was no longer habitable.

My mother however was very brave and resilient. The shock waves cause by the explosion had woken me up on the bunk and bounced my up and down. Everyone else in the shelter was rocked backwards and forwards by the blast. There was absolutely no panic whatsoever; we must have been slightly stunned. As we all emerged reality took over. We came face to face with the loss over home, business and belongings.

Bad weather did not help. It destroyed many possessions untouched by the bomb. In addition we were visited by those odious creatures the looters. Even today I still consider that these people were worse than the known enemy.

My uncle and his wife were able to come to our rescue. Any goods we were able to salvage, were taken to their home at 47 Little Hardwick Road, Aldridge Staffs. We were to live with them until February 1945. We then moved back to Birmingham. I had commenced Grammar School in September 1940.

As evacuation was to continue until summer 1942 we shared the premises of King Edward鈥檚 Grammar School, Aston, Birmingham. CGS was evacuated to Pontypool, Wales and KEGS were billeted in Ashby-de-la-Zouche. By and large both schools got on well with each other.

All my life, I have loved city life. So the near rural Aldridge was barely tolerable. Ok I sound ungrateful, but it is a fact! The charms of the countryside still escape me.

Travelling to and from school by unreliable public transport was a chose. However, I did learn to play cribbage and chess during these journeys.

I enjoyed lots of sport those days and indeed before the war it did take your mind off other concerns.

My aunt and uncle鈥檚 house had a very long garden and contained a small holding. Half way down an Anderson Shelter had been erected. One night in April 1941 we were hit by another bomb. It landed in the neighbouring field, but managed to damage the roof. 鈥淪hutting the stable door after the horse had bolted鈥� now took place. We all trooped down to the shelter. At this point I needed to wee, so I walked over to the hedge. To my complete surprise I came across the crater where the bomb had fallen. I can only surmise what might have happened had we been in the shelter.

There was lots of activity still going on. Incendiary bombs were falling around us, but unfortunately not on us. It was quite exciting to think of it.

We were all accommodated with my aunt鈥檚 parents in Streetly, while repairs were carried out. This spell lasted for about two weeks.

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Anastasia Travers a volunteer with WM CSV Actiondesk on behalf of Charles Crowe and has been added to the site with his permission. Charles Crowe fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

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