大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Sarah Cooper at the AGC Museum on behalf of Peter Moody and has been added with his permission. Peter Moody fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

After the Battle of Britain there was a quiet period and as Len was now 14 years of age and old enough to start work, our parents decided we should return to London. I was not too pleased with this decision. I know we travelled back by Maidstone & District Coach to Lewisham. On our arrival in Lewisham our Mother who had with her a small child about 18 months old met us. He was holding a bun in one hand and dressed in a siren suit, I had acquired a new brother whilst away in Headcorn. His name was David. David had been born at home, one month into the start of the war. He was born at night during an air-raid. The midwife who was to attend to mum lived in Bellingham and she refused to turn out while the air-raid was on, so dad had to turn to the Salvation Army and it was them that helped to deliver the baby and also to name him David. We were no sooner back in London when the Blitz of London started - night after night sleeping under the living room table on a mattress. The shelter in the garden was full of water, but the large public shelters on the greens outside our house were never used by our family. There were no schools open for the children to attend.

I remember one Sunday morning, mum got David ready for me to take for a walk in his pram, and then having to bring him straight back. There were so many people being evacuated from the surrounding houses we could not continue with our walk. All traffic had been stopped and many people went past our house pushing prams with household goods piled high in them. A person in authority called on my mother and informed her she must open all windows and doors as a landmine had fallen during the night. It had fallen near to "The Splendid" the local cinema and attempts were being made to make it safe. It was thought that we would be safe, should it explode after taking the precaution of opening all doors and windows. It did go off. At the time I was standing at the middle door watching my mother making a bottle of milk for David. The windows fell in and the blast picked me up and threw me across the room. Then Beryl came in with blood pouring down her back from a cut on her head, flying glass had cut her. Fred one of my older brothers followed with burnt fingers. He had picked up a piece of fallen metal, part of the land mine, which had spun down.

Another incident in this part of the war happened when we were all under the table one night. A whole lot of incendiary bombs had dropped all around the house and surrounding areas. Dad and my brothers Fred and Len were out dealing with them. One had dropped in our back garden knocking off a bird box which Fred had only just put up. The bomb had to be dealt with. With front and back doors open and with them rushing through the house, mum got hold of a bowl, filled it with water and threw it on the living room fire. You could not see across the room for the flying ash.

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