大象传媒

I was in the WRAF as a fighter plotter during the war stationed at Biggin Hill. I was in my late teens and I used to plot the doodlebugs coming over and scramble fighters telling the pilots through the radar stations.

I was on nights and I was cycling up Biggin Hill before work one night when the doodlebugs started coming over. I have never cycled up the hill so fast!

But what I really remember about the war was before I joined up. We had an off licence in Catford East London and a land mine blew up just along the road.

All the windows were smashed but only one bottle was broken and the glass hit my brother in the back of his neck but he wasn't really hurt.

We had to go to the shelter quite often and one night I heard a terrific explosion and when I came out all the houses were flattened. I lost friends and several of our customers. I was 17 at the time and that will stick in my memory for the rest of my life.

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Amanda Wilkins on behalf of Joyce Ryde, and has been added to the site with her permission Joyce fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

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