War Memories

Hoping the bombs would get the school

By Ted Blowers

Spitfire

Wikipedia Commons author Arpingstone

During this time of course for those still at school, many would hope that their school would be removed by the nightly bombing of the Blitz, only to find in the morning that it was business as usual. When there were day time air raids, we had to go to the shelters  Doesn't do much for your education - the school shelters tended to be dark damp and cold.  I remember one raid must have been on a weekend as we were sharing a shelter with the Sweenys, our next door neighbours. Albert had taken his younger brother Bill round The Circle. On the way back, Bill had got an ice cream. Just as they got to the corner of Titchfield Road, the siren went. We were already in the shelter when Albert, dragging a screaming Billy, dived in at such pace, he cracked his head on the entrance just about knocking himself out. I know he required some attention. Billy, it appears, was upset because when Albert grabbed him by the arm to run, his ice cream had been propelled backwards and all he had left was the cornet. It was only promises of another one when the raid was over that shut him up.

When there weren't any raids, life went on much as usual. We played the games that we played at home with the exception of the rough games like high jimmy knacker, which wasn't allowed.

On rare occasions, German planes strafed civilians with machine- gun fire. This happened to Mr. Page who lived on the corner of Waltham Road and Paisley. He was coming across the field where there was no shelter. He hit the ground and fortunately wasn’t hurt but very shaken up - a worry for mothers whose kids walked quite a long way to school and back.