大象传媒

I was 19 when the war started, living in Gillingham, Kent and working in an office in Strood, near Rochester; and during the war we had the delivering of tarpaulins, which probably kept me there, much to my boss's relief (Mr Robert Cooper, now deceased). The 3 of us in the office did firewatching and I still correspond with my ex colleague. When the Royal Marines camt to the Esplanade at Rochester we used to dash over the bridge and watch them in our dinner hour.

It all started with a letter from my fiance Ron, telling me that he was now up in Lincolnshire, and on the same aerodrome as my brother-in-law Alan Waghorn married to my sister Kath, and wouldn't it be nice if you could come up sometime and stay with Kath (she had twin girls Betty and June). After a chat with my Mum, and with my boss, and packing a case I must have marched off to the station a few days later. But the next episode I remember clearly I got into a compartment at Gillingham (not like they are today) and sat down. There was another man in there with me, but we hadn't gone very far when we heard the rattle of machine-gun fire. The man shouted at me to get down, and there I was flat on the floor with a strange man! After a while it seemed quiet, so we got up and to this day I can't remember whether we talked about it, one certainly talked more to strangers, especially after frightening incidents like that. Well nothing more happened and I wended my way across London to catch the train to Lincolnshire. My fiance was at Digby, but I can't remember where I had to get out. My twin nieces are still alive, now 72, but I don't suppose they will remember. Anyway I was picked up, as I suppose I must have got in touch with my sister before I went. Next day Alan offered to take me to see Ron, and pick him up and take him back to my sister. I suppose he must have made arrangements with Ron, but as we were waiting we heard an aircraft going round and round, and then before we could do or say anything there was an almighty explosion, I suppose about 2 or 3 hundred yards or more away. Alan said something like "What cheek!" and then everyone (the airmen) came running out. Alan got out of the car, and eventually found Ron, brought him back to the car and home we went. Thinking about it afterwards, it is a wonder I'm alive to "tell the tale". But thank God I am. Ron and I were married for over 54 years and have 2 lovely children (now grown up of course) and grandchildren (all boys).

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Wendy Adams and has been added to the website on behalf of Muriel Boorman and she fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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