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We lived as a family of six — four children and my parents at ‘Exe House’, Larksbeare Road, Exeter (the house name has since been changed) off Topsham Road and below St Leonard’s Church.

I was 15 at that time and remember well that terrible night.

My late father was ‘fire watching’ at one of his five shops in the city (jewellery, antiques and fine antique furniture).

As the German bombers arrived late evening and following the course of the River Exe as a guide to the city we took refuge under our Morrison shelter in the kitchen — seven people in all! (At a later date we used our wine cellar as a shelter)

During the raid all the petrol storage tanks on the other side of the river were machine gunned and set alight as well as the large gas holder tank from which a large jet of flame came from the side after being machine gunned — and the ‘holder’ gradually ‘sank’ to ground level.

Burning paper and debris floated over the house from the other side of the river causing concern that the old house might catch fire — fortunately not.

One huge explosion was a land mine falling on Mr Brock’s house on Topsham Road, leaving a large crater and totally destroying the house.

At the end of the raid, fireguards and wardens arrived at our house asking for the eldest male member of the household to escort them around our garden to look for an unexploded bomb! That member happened to be me — Thankfully no bomb was found!

At dawn my father arrived home from the city — just escaping with his life — just in a shirt and trousers, no time to collect his jacket or gold pocket watch.

Sadly all his five shops were destroyed, and the safe in the ruins and too hot to handle was eventually opened by looters and all the contents taken.

In all a very terrible night.

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