大象传媒

I lived in Walthamstow and worked in a solicitor鈥檚 in Cheapside in the East End. Being a member of the cycling club, I used to cycle to work. I remember one day cycling in after a night of heavy bombing. The damage was so severe that I had to carry my bike as I couldn鈥檛 cycle it any longer. I had a look around. The whole area had been reduced to rubble and there wasn鈥檛 another person to be seen. I decided that there was little point continuing to work as there would be anyone or anything there anyway. I turned around and went home.

I needed a new job, so went to the Labour Exchange who found me a position with a firm that had been evacuated from the docks to Walthamstow. I worked there as an electrician. One day I came back from lunch. My mate was talking to someone, so I went downstairs to the loo. A V2 hit the building. I was the only one to escape without a scratch. Lots were killed.

One of my colleagues was badly injured in the attack. His fourteen year old son, who was training as an apprentice, was killed. I had been helping this mate with some bits and pieces at the Walthamstow Palace. With his injury, they asked me to take over doing the lighting and everything.

I was married in April 1944. I remember on my wedding night we lay in bed, counting the doodlebugs.

I also helped as an ARP warden, and was posted to the local Baptist Chapel. It was being used to house evacuees from the docks. One morning when everyone was settled, there was a hit next door. I had to help ferry everyone across the road to the proper shelter; under the fish and chip shop. It was quite a squeeze.

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