大象传媒

Dear Rene

This is just a brief note to let you know that we are still alright. The night before last, we all had a nasty shock when they dropped a landmine in the square, intentionally or otherwise I don't quite know. We were all downstairs and all our guests i.e. the Kenwards, Clare and Ron and the Luck family came down just before so we made for the stairs. Just as well, as nearly all the windows came in and a great deal of the plaster upstairs also. Mary and I had a terrific time yesterday cleaning up the mess. However, when we have had the windows covered in we shan't look too bad, and nobody was hurt which was the main thing. I believe there were a lot of casualties. Dr Harper had a miraculous escape and quite a lot of other people. I haven't been down to inspect the damage yet but I believe it is pretty extensive. Immediately afterwards, not knowing how badly we were damaged, we went round to Youngs (at 3.30 am) and just as we arrived the all clear sounded. Last night we started off in Young's shelter but it was so cold that we returned home. Tonight I think we shall get the car out and go further afield. Clare and Ron have decided to go back to Coventry and I don't quite know what the others have done. At all events they have departed from here. Quelle vie alors!

Mother is supposed to be going to Stratford tomorrow with nine children. How are things up your part of the world? We might come up to you to get a bit of peace. It's not much fun here at the moment.

The men have just come to repair the windows. Mr Luck kindly gave us a large roll of roofing felt, some wood and nails or we should have had difficulty in getting it done. However, we are now in a fair way to getting things shipshape once more. Fortunately the roof is intact so we are luckier than some people, particularly as it rained all day yesterday.

Well, I haven't time to write any more as there are a lot of jobs to do. Mother sends her love, she has gone into Coventry this morning to arrange about tomorrow but she should be home at any moment.

With Love
Betty

Dear Rene

I expect you gathered from the radio that we incurred the violence of the Hun in a big way last night, so we thought it best to send a wire to let you know that we are all safe and sound. So don't worry! We have all had a day off today except Ralph. To begin with no one was allowed to go past the traffic lights this morning. Mother had a day's holiday in any case, so she didn't try, but Clare and I went in with Mr Steen who is staying next door. After being turned back about four times we managed to sneak through a back way after going half way to Rugby, but we needn't have worried. We got as far as Clare's house which is still standing, but many people have not been as fortunate. As it was it took us about an hour and a half to get from the Orange Gove to Watercale Avenue - detours of about 7 miles and of course there is no transport. The damage has to be seen to be believed and that was only on the outskirts.

I imagine that we are all out of jobs now. Ron definitely is and from what I hear I doubt if our respective places are standing. Of course it is difficult to know for certain how things are as there are no telephones. There are also no gas, no electricity and no water - several hugh fires are still raging as the water mains went quite early and there was nothing to fight the fires with.

I'm sorry to sound so like H G Wells - but if you know how things are you can discount the rumours which are bound to arise. Things are quite bad enough I believe. This much I do know. Broadgate is still burning. About two walls of Owens are standing. The cathedral has gone, though the spire is still up. Lloyds and most of the shops are washed up. The Co op and West Orchard are blazing still. Ron's works are practically finished and Courtalds and the Foleshill Road also. These we know definitely but there is certainly a great deal more damage. The Kenilworth Road from the Orange Grove to Gibbet Hill is impassable.

The warning went at 7.10 and the all clear at 6.30 and during that time planes were overhead every second and bombs and landmines and incendiaries and flares and oil bombs were falling. Dantes Inferno would have been a haven of rest. Nothing fell here, but the noise was very alarming all the same. We were all downstairs and dived to our burrow more than once during the course of the night.

Lucks came over this morning - they had a rotten time though their house was not damaged. Miss Pudelaplia's school is down and Luckman's new house. Also Mr Turland's road. However we don't know a great deal about it yet. I met one of the boys at the office who was bombed out of his house about ten days ago. He had just enjoyed the delightful experience of having a landmine descend about 200 yds away from him.

We are more than ever thankful that we are not in the town - Heaven knows what it must have been like. Anyhow we are all alive and untouched by about three miles so we should worry. Don't get any mad brained idesas about coming home as transport is more or less impossible and we will let you know how things go. I think they will cross us off their visiting list pretty soon anyhow. One consolation about it is that as it is the weekend and we have none of us been to work we have had time to make up on sleep. Actually only mother availed herself of the opportunity but it certainly is more restful at home.

Mother has just woken up and sends you her love. She says that you are on no account to come home before Christmas as travelling is so difficult and this is definitely not a healthy area. In any case it's considerably wearing to the nerves. But don't worry - we will write to you as often as possible - though as the posts are bound to be a bit erratic don't count on getting a letter every day. Have you a phone at school? If so perhaps if you could say when you are within calls and I would ring you up and let you know how things are over here.

I must post this now before it gets dark - not that it does as the moon is as bright as day in this weather. I am doing a tremendous amount of knitting - half Ralph's pullover was completed last night!

With love
Betty

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