大象传媒

ALSO.

We were all issued with gas masks together with the cardboard box in which to
transport them. We were never properly instructed in how to put them on and test for
efficacy of fitting and as youngsters we tried out the propensity for making rude
noises with them, this drew a vociferous rebuke from our infants teacher. I don't think
that it made much difference to us at the time and we were too young to think about
what they were issued for, it was just another thing adults worried about and we kids
virtually ignored. I don't think that I ever carried mine anywhere when I was out and
I would bet that the same went for my contemporaries. We, my mother and I, went
to London sometimes and we stayed in Poplar towards the end of the blitz with her
parents. One night we were hauled out of bed and found that the opposite end of
the street was a mass of flames, having been struck several times by bombs. Had
the bomb aimer held back for another split second I might not have been sitting here
now typing this out. As an eight year old it made quite an impression on me and
I realised just what had happened for the past three years and why so much damage
was caused over such a wide area. Opposite to Lusty's works on North Street was
a small general shop owned by a Mr. Benny. No glass in the windows of course
and the painting on the wood covering read "Bennies.Blasted business as usual".
I must go back and have a look round to see if anything that I remember still exists.
I used to work for a shipping brokers at one time and was often in the docks area
in the course of my duties, even in the 50s there was still devastation in that area
and the occasional unexploded bomb discovered, as there still is today but I am
thankful that with each one discovered it is one less. No one can know just how
many remain but hopefully it is very few now.

Where the shells were produced at Enfield there was a large explosion one day when
something went wrong in the making of munitions. The roof of the assembly
plant was blown off when the shell, or whatever it was, exploded. This was exactly what
was supposed to happen of course and apart from some singeing, and one hell of a
shock, there was no injury to those involved, amazing when you think of the intent of
device. Perhaps this was not a unique experience as there must have been many
assembly plants doing such work and many thousands of women and girls doing
this work.

On the green oposite our cottage were four poplar trees ech a different variety and
one day a military convoy was coming when the motorcycle outrider made a mistake
cornering and tried to knock one of them over, markedly unsuccessful and while
the ambulance was awaited he was brought into our front room on a stretcher out of
the cold. I spoke to him but my mates called for me so we left and went out to play.
Years later. the green was Lords that day. A man arrived and knocked at our door,
I was called into the cottage some minutes later to meet again with the motor cyclist
whom we had sheltered. I was not very gracious as I remember it as it was my
innings and I had been doing rather well.