大象传媒

In the blitz they dropped sticker bombs at Stuart Street Power Station. A.V.Rose and Mather and Platts were all in the line of the bombs. Bombs landed right in this area---alongside the power station in Bank Street, Clayton. The bombs demolished the terraced houses. My school pal's house was hit. His name was Ken Morton and we'd both be 15. He was burned and they had to dry him out. His family had to be rehoused in Clayton Street . This was near the Dingle, alongside Clayton Vale.The home guard used to practice and at week-ends we'd go rooting around and pick up .22 bullets. and we'd fire them with a pair of pliers with a nail in at the back. Good fun!
The fathers never got much time off but one week-end Ken's dad did and his parents went to Blackpool for the week-end and he was left with his married sister at home. She was supposed to be looking after him. The Home Guard had been out training that morning and ken found a thunderflash.We then went back in the house and he poked it in the fire. I was at the side of the fire reading and all of a sudden there's an explosion and Ken was blown right across the room. All his face, hands and hair was burnt off. He was left with no eyelids or eyelashes. Amazingly it never touched me. The soot came down the chimney and coated the thunderflash completely and put it out. This was the biggest pile of soot I have ever seen, all on the carpet.
I had to get ken to hospital. We had to run down Ashton New Road to the bus. He looked in a real state and was in such shock. We got him to Ancoats Hospital and when we took him home we then had to start to clean up the mess before his parents returned. His mum continued to find bits of soot for weeks after!!

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