大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Sian and Jess from Swavesey Village College on behalf of a Veteran of 87 and has been added to the site with his permission. He fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

Many incidents remain in my mind- an occasion when a poor old lady was sitting up surrounded by debris of her kitchen in the bombed house, screaming for help- but looking to be in no difficulty. However when we reached her and released her from the surrounding rubble we found that the land mine had come down the kitchen chimney, blowing the fire from the grate out into the room and she had fallen and was sitting trapped on red hot embers- resulting in multiple first degree burns, poor sole.

One that remains vividly in my mind was when a bomb had landed on the tarmac and had not exploded- a young corporal of the army bomb disposal unit attempted to diffuse it, when it exploded and killed him. I remember I was very upset at having to clear up that debris and to prepare a coffin in which to send his remains to his family in Portsmouth. I had to send a accompanying letter to the undertakers at his home, that the family were to be asked NOT to want the coffin opened for any reason.

On another occasion we transported a patient form the operating theatre at Bootle Hospital during the middle of a serious operation, keeping the man anaesthetised throughout the journey to Garston Hospital near our airfield, where the operation was later completed.

Then I recall, what to me was a very difficult situation, when I had t help to rescue as many as possible from the old Custom House, when a land mine had struck going through to the basement where several hundred folk were sheltering- regretfully many were dead on our arrival.

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