Doodlebug Hits Rushen Walk

The V1 or Doodle bug that fell in Rushen Walk fell just one house over at the back of our house in Waltham Road, in the early hours, wiping out dozens of houses including ours. We were fortunate in that my family didn’t have any serious injuries. It would appear from Ron Bird's page that my information is not correct. I was given to understand that both the Hudson boys had been killed and Peter had been playing with a huge gang of us the night before. The other little girl killed I do not remember as she was much younger. I do remember that Mrs. Hudson was in a terrible state according to the neighbours. Many were cut by flying glass and bricks I remember that Lenny Briers who lived next door was being carried to an ambulance and his legs looked like a porcupine - he had so many slivers of glass in them. I remember waking with a mouthful of ashes and soot, seeing our dog frantically digging in the rubble where my sister Pat was buried. She had been sleeping under the table. Fortunately that had collapsed and saved her from the bricks. I had been sleeping under the chimney breast, hence the ashes and soot. Looking out of our house where there was no longer any front wall and seeing, the street full of people, heavy rescue workers, firemen, nurses. Apart from the rubble and debris there was ruptured gas lines and water mains, shooting flames and water high into the air, poor chickens with all their feathers blown off. There was no water to make tea, which was a disaster. No water to wash which didn’t bother the kids much. Despite all the damage and shock there was still humour. Joan Reynolds who lived opposite us, looked out of a window that had no glass or middle left and said, I always knew I’d be framed. It was amazing how quickly the relief services had got there, It wasn’t long before they had done a head count, had us all labelled and shuffled off to the nearest school which was Tweeddale, where the local W.V.S. and others distributed tea and biscuits and treated those suffering from shock. I still remember a blind man who had his dog with him and he was just shaking. They then organised and dispersed us to various rest centres where we would be able to sleep until they could billet us out somewhere, and to be given whatever clothes were available. This was the cause of great hilarity, as even with rationing which also applied to clothes, the younger women would still be as fashion conscious as they could be, I remember my sisters putting on leg make up and using an eyebrow pencil to draw a line down the back of their legs to simulate a seam, so it looked like they had stockings on. Imagine then what happened when the younger women size maybe 6-8 or 10 would be offered a pair of drawers that two of them could get into. There would be gales of laughter as the offending article was held up for all to see. That is what I remember most, despite having lost everything, people could laugh and see the funny side of everything. They seemed to realise in those dark days that possessions were not what life was about, it was family and community, everyone looked after everyone else. Yet there was worse to come, the V. 2 was even more powerful and destructive, also very quiet. Fortunately for us the war ended before it could really do the work that it was intended to do. Even when the war ended things were still very tight and rationing continued for quite a few years. Strange also to think how things can affect your life, that you know nothing about, I remember having terrible earache in the rest centre and next day being taken to the hospital. I have no idea what they did but do remember having my head bandaged. Many years later, about 50 years, I was driving a school bus and had to have a yearly medical. This particular doctor decided to test my hearing and said do you know you are just about deaf in your left ear. This was a surprise to me, anyway he sent me to a place to have a proper check and afterwards the young girl said you have had massive trauma to your ear, have you worked with heavy machinery for years? I said no and we were trying to think what could have caused it, when I remembered and said, "Oh it must have happened when we were bombed out." The poor girl had no Idea what I was talking about and when I explained, she nearly cried saying "Oh how lucky we are in Canada never to have had to experienced war close up." I agreed but am still trying to fathom out how the Army missed it? Ted Blowers.

What an interesting but sad read, I bought my very first house in Rushen Walk in 2003 but have since moved on. We backed on to a house in Waltham Road. I had always wanted to find out a bit more about the area as I moved there from SW London. Anyway, great read thank you!

Ted, we had friends who lived in Titchfield Rd whose house was made uninhabitable called Allisons, Iris,Sylvia and Sonny. That one prompted my mum to evacuate her children to Nottingham.

Hello Ted - just joined 'I grew up on the St Helier Estate' via Facebook so we have been introduced via that site. However have never seen this comment from you in 2010. We knew the Briers,  think Lennie must have been the eldest,  then Alec, Maisie.... My brother Brian worked with Alec after the war, that was at Phillips.  Last saw Alec at my brother's funeral some years ago.  Also knew the name Joan Reynolds.  We lived in Winchcombe Road, our house was right opposite Titchfield Walk.  4 of us, Brian, myself and 2 sisters - Pauline & June (Lander) were evacuated via Tweeddale School in July 1944.  We went to a small mid Welsh village and had a wonderful year on a farm - fantastic people.  Home in time for VJ Day.  All so interesting, I believe you've written a book?  must get a copy.

I've just read the message from Terry Kates, and he mentioned that he knew my family, the Allisons, Sylvia Charlie(Sonny) Iris and  were talking about the Kates family and the boys model railway. Our mum was good friends with Mrs Kates, i think they worked in the same place?

My grandparents Jack and Anne Turland  lived on the estate, l think it was in Rushen Walk with my mum Olive and her sisters Celia and Ruby and brother Richard. My grandad didn't like going in the bomb shelter and was in bed when their house was hit, he was lucky to live. My Nan died in 1968. My Dad Leonard McConnell lived with his parents and his brother Ronnie and sister Joan on Wrythe Lane. His father was disabled.

It's really interesting reading about the stories, l was very close to my Nanny Annie. My dads father died in 1950, his mum before l was born.