Charles William Skinner
- Contributed by听
- Sheerness Community Learning Centre
- People in story:听
- Mrs Jean May Patterson (Nee Thomas)
- Location of story:听
- Bristol
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A4460294
- Contributed on:听
- 15 July 2005
I was born in Bristol in 1930
I was nearly 10 when the war started 鈥 I was there in the bad bombing and my Granny wanted to send me to Cornwall but I was sent elsewhere
My grandfather, Charles William Skinner, was in Bristol during the war 鈥 in my road, York Road, we all used to go to the Methodist church. My Grandfather and son were later buried under the church.
My Uncle Bill was badly wounded. After the war, my Uncle had a big wound in his leg and they gave him a 50p pension 鈥 he got a job as a postman and they took that pension away.
I went home to my Mum and Dad during the war. When bombings took place, there were no lessons. When I ran away, I found that the church was bombed and everybody inside it died.
During the war, the Germans bombed all the churches in Bristol, thinking they were ammunition factories. My Grandfather used to go back to his place to see his animals. There were sand-buckets in which to put incendiary bombs to prevent them exploding.
When the Germans bombed Bristol, the planes came in so low, that the pilots could be seen, silver materials came from the planes, which were made into handbags!
My Grandfather was in both wars and was decorated in WWI , he was badly wounded in France and Uncle Stan found him with his head in a gas oven. He had about six gold & silver medals in all, along with a VC medal from the Queen, I gave a picture of him getting his VC medal, along with my identity card, to the local museum.
My Grandmother鈥檚 air raid shelter was made of bricks, one day my Grandfather was on ARP patrol and was hit by a piece of shrapnel.
During the war, Granddad kept his dog, but lost his budgies, but the only meat he could get for the dog was either whale meat or horsemeat.
My cousin in Bristol used to work in the aerodrome, she went into the air raid shelter and was crying and a soldier put his arms around her 鈥 the shelter was bombed, she died and the soldier lost both arms 鈥 her gravestone reads 鈥渒illed in enemy action鈥
I want others to know just how brave Bristolians are.
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