大象传媒

This contribution to People鈥檚 War was received by the Action Desk at 大象传媒 Radio Norfolk and submitted to the website with the permission and on behalf of Maurice Claxton
When the 2nd World War started I was a boy of 9 years old and lived in the village of Horning, Norfolk (on the Norfolk Broads). During that time the Army had three searchlights, 2 small and one large one stationed on the recreation field. Myself and some mates in the evenings when it was dark used to go and stand behind the large light and watch the soldiers catch the enemy planes in the light so the guns could shoot them down, also we would go and help the soldiers start the big Lister engine to power the searchlights.
One day myself and three or four other boys were collecting tins and old metal (these were for munitions) when we looked up to see two planes high above us,, there were two things just below them that we thought were birds, until these started to drop and make a loud screeching noise. Then we realised they were bombs so we dived under a tree and the bombs dropped on a house at Hoveton crossroads. It was five to one on a Wednesday, just before the shop staff from Roy鈥檚 of Wroxham (now often referred to as the biggest village store in the world) left off work, in those days Roy鈥檚 was closed on Wednesday afternoons.

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