´óÏó´«Ã½

This story has been written to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ People's War site by CSV Storygatherer Coralie, on behalf of Ian Slatter. The story has been added to the site with his permission and Ian fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

In late 1944, I was 4 years old. I lived on a council estate in Totnes, and at the bottom of the garden was the Plymouth to London railway line. I was playing in the garden — my father was away at war — and the sirens went off, warning of an impending enemy aircraft. A solo aircraft appeared, following the railway lines. I can see it vividly now, coming round a bend, dropping what I believe to have been an incendiary device or bomb. This bomb hit the railway station platform, killing a pilot officer who was waiting on the ‘down’ platform for the train to take him back to his camp. As the plane came towards us, Mother scooped me up and we went under the stairs.

Recently, I was on the ‘up’ platform and an elderly Totnes person pointed out to me the construction of the platform, ie we could see that where the bomb had hit, the platform was built of blocks where it had been rebuilt, and not of stone like the rest. Someone else told me that he’d been there in a building on the side, and that the impact had blown them against the wall.

My father was stationed at R.A.F. Tarrant Rushdon. He used to have to take the camp water bowser out to a nearby village, Sixpenny Haunley, to collect water. This was just before 1945. I can remember going with him, sitting in the cab, to fill it up. We parked outside a pair of cottages and the elderly gent and his wife came out and talked to us. This camp had wooden gliders, and I understand now, that it was used to train flight ??? I still remember it.

There was another bomb-hit in Totnes which hit a house in Priory Avenue and the impact of it brought the roof down. The vibration of it also broke some plaster in the Guildhall, about 150 yards away. The Italian prisoners of war came and made it good and mended it, and today you can’t see the difference.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.