大象传媒

One Saturday in late October 1942, my friend Ginger Middleton and I then stationed at Lyminge in Kent with 'B' Squadron 46th Reconnaissance Regiment decided that as we were off duty we would pay a visit to Canterbury rather than Folkestone our usual haunt.

We caught a local train and arrived in Canterbury around 3pm and decided to do a tour of the Cathedral. On our way to the Cathedral we were surprised to see that all the barrage balloons (protection against low flying aircraft) had been lowered and we were at a loss to understand why.

We left the Cathedral about 4.15pm and decided to visit a local cinema. I don't remember what the film was but we had only been watching it for about forty minutes when a warning was flashed on the screen that an air raid was now in progress and almost immediately we heard the sound of a bomb exploding in the distance and then others, six in all, getting closer all the time. The last one exploded very close to the rear of the cinema and one second we were watching a film and the next a huge hole appeared in the screen and through dust and smoke we could see daylight. Ginger and I were sitting near to two emergency exit doors and so we jumped up and opened them easily by which time the audience in a state of panic was rushing to get out.

Ginger and I were shouting "walk don't run" but to little avail, but from what I remember the cinema was vacated quickly and as far as I am aware without casualties - a lucky escape. The cause of the raid, we learned later, were six German Focker Wolf Fighter bombers which having dropped their bombs, did a second run over the city with machine guns blazing. We heard later that two of the raiders had been shot down.

After we had been outside for a few minutes we heard a shout for volunteers for stretcher bearers, and Ginger and I joined an ambulance crew and for the next hour or so helped with finding and ferrying of casualties to hospital. At about 6.30pm. we were thanked for our help and decided to go to the N.A.A.F.I (canteen) for something to eat and then at about 8pm found our way to a local dance hall where we were able to relax for a while, but not for long as at about 10pm there was the drone of aircraft overhead and the crack of gun fire as the ack-ack opened up. No bombs were dropped as these aircraft were on their way to a raid on London.

By about 10.30pm we decided to make our way to the station and at times went from doorway to doorway to dodge the falling shrapnel. Eventually we reached the station and were told that the train was being held in a tunnel (used to house a big gun which fired across the channel) and would not arrive until the all clear was given.

The stationmaster allowed us to wait in his office, which was nice and warm and provided us with tea for which we were very grateful. The train eventually arrived at midnight and we got back to Lyminge some half hour or so later and managed to get into our billet without our absence having been noticed.

That was my first visit to Canterbury and one which I shall never forget.

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