大象传媒

I lived in Birmingham, married in 1937 and was at work during the daytime but joined the ARP as did my husband after 1939.
It was an evening when I had to attend First Aid Class in Birmingham city centre.
We had been taught but was practising on fellow students. The fellow who lay on the floor I turned over onto my left arm, and heard a crunch. It was the glass in my watch which was smashed.
The sirens sounded and immediately the class was dismissed.
I hurried to Martineau Street to catch my tram home to Perry Barr. Blackout was in force and the tram was soon filling up. Off we started, out of the city centre, and had reached New John Street when the driver stopped. The conductor told us to get off the tram as the tram in front had stopped and emptied, and our tram could not continue.
There were two alternatives, either to go into the Public Shelter nearby which was already full or carry on walking forward and make for home.
I decided on the latter and hurried along. Planes could be heard overhead and there was no mistaking the heavily-laden bombers, the repetitive mmm-mmm as they trawled across the night sky.
It began to drizzle, and as I entered Newtown Row, Aston, another wave of bombers lumbered towards the deserted streets. I took to my heels and ran, the rain torrential by now mingling with my tears. Fear gripped my heart for if a bomb dropped here the plateglass windows of all the shops would splinter in all directions and shred me to ribbons.
There would be no time to reach Birchfield Road now, so I ran up New Street where the Globe picture house stood on the corner opposite the Barton Arms pub. My Mom and Dad lived up there and I dashed into their communal shelter in the middle of the yard. Everyone looked up as I entered. Dad said "Hello Thor' what are you doing here?" but I hadn't enough breath to answer him, but just threw myself into my mum's arms and cried and she understood perfectly.
Later, my sister's fiancee, Stan, walked me home when the All Clear sounded and I was so happy to be with my Harry once more. He had been out on ARP duty wondering how I was getting on.......

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Christina Cazalet of CSV Action Desk Leicester on behalf of Thora Beddard and has been added with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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