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I was a young girl during the war, growing up in York. My most vivid memory is of the terrible air-raid the city suffered on 29th April 1942. York had experienced ‘tip and run’ raids before, but this was completely different — a sustained, targeted attack using incendiary and high explosive bombs. Although we had an Anderson Shelter in the Garden we didn’t use it because it was damp and smelly! So my mother, my sister Dorothy and I spent the night hiding under the stairs. We were terrified listening to the explosions which seemed to be going off all around us.

In the morning the all-clear came. Dorothy and I went out to survey the damage. There was a scene of devastation — many buildings had been destroyed or damaged. I can picture there being broken glass everywhere, which people were sweeping up. We were very worried about the Minster and walked up to see what damage it had sustained, but thankfully it was intact. I remember going to see the house we used to live in — it had been destroyed, although the people who’d bought it from us had also survived as well by hiding in the cellar.

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