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This story was submitted to the People's Web site by Jenny Ford on behalf of Mr. Terry Darlow and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Wartime Memories

"I cannot remember the exact date or the year, but I was 10 or 11 years old. We lived in an off-licence in Queen Street, Bedford facing down Albert Street.

I was in bed asleep, when a series of explosive incendiary bombs had fallen on Albert Street.

My parents opened up the shop and we went down the cellar. About 20 of the neighbours came running to us and all went down the cellar. My father had shored-up the cellar and installed electric lighting down there just in case of such emergencies.

Some of the neighbours slept down there for quite some time after this eventful night. In fact one old lady slept down there every night until there was no danger from any further bombing. She would turn up with her bedding about 9 o'clock and sleep down there quite alone. The row of houses that were hit were all occupied, but had been condemned before the war, had the war not started they would not have been there.

I believed that nobody was killed, but I have recently been told that there was one fatality. Some were injured.

After the incendiary bombs had dropped, some heavier bombs dropped in Laxtons orchard (Polhill Avenue) and one of the Laxton family was killed as he was going on duty as a Civil Defence Corps member. At the time I attended Goldington Road school (now Castle school). On another occasion, I was walking up the playground when I spotted a German aircraft, no siren had gone, but, like all boys at the time, aircraft recognition was the done thing. However, I saw two bombs leave the plane, so I ran to the shelter. I believe they landed somewhere near Midland Road Railway Station.

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