- Contributed byÌý
- Genevieve
- People in story:Ìý
- Fred Harwin
- Location of story:Ìý
- Sheffield
- Background to story:Ìý
- Civilian
- Article ID:Ìý
- A7614579
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 08 December 2005
My Grandfather was Fred Harwin was an engine driver.
On the night of the Great Blitz of Sheffield he was driving a train across the Viaduct in the city centre (known as the Wicker Arches). Of course, when the Blitz began the power was knocked out so he was no option but to wait where he was.
The Blitz lasted from around ten that night until four the following morning and my Grandfather was stuck there throughout the entire six hours whilst the city centre around him was flattened!
He was never quite the same afterwards!
This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Rhys Whatmore and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
See more of Rhys’s family’s stories and photographs:
- Extracts from ‘Recollections of an NCO’
- Cairo 1941
- The Great Pyramid of Giza, 1941
- Palestine 1942
- Burnt out tram cars
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