Air raids

Air Raids

09 August 2020

10:29

May and Harry had started to go to No 5 at nights to sleep

There was no 'Air Raid Shelter' for the area there was one down by the football stadium for the workers. No one knew what went on there, the rooms under the stands had been cleared out, trucks came at night and left before daylight. The football team had been disbanded; all the players had left for the war, the last game was months ago.

 

No 5 was deemed safer than No 1. It was in the middle of the row; the houses built of local stone, the stairs had stone steps supported on both sides by solid stone walls. The next door, No3 was exactly the same, their chimney stack was at the other side of the wall, to add to the strength, also their fire warmed the stones.

No 1 was the first house on the block, with only one solid place to hide, the opposite wall was just that a single outer wall.

 

They heard the undulating wail of the siren warning of an impending air raid.

James put the kettle on to boil, gathered the 'Air Raid' bag, he had a few sandwiches, clean metal cups and added them to the bag, the kettle boiled, now he filled a flask with tea and added that to the bag.

Meanwhile, Mary had gone to wake Nora, She had spent the previous night on 'Fire Watch' at the laundry where she worked.

Packing clean laundry for some far away soldier lads all day, then patrolling the area; Two hours on, two hours off; she had returned home at nine o'clock that evening and gone straight to bed with just a sip of tea. Now she had to go to the 'safe place'

On her way back down stairs Mary collected the  ready awaiting blankets, left in reediness from last night.

 

The five of them huddled on the cold stone stairs, insulated by a thin cushion each, Mary had taken Harry to sit next to her, holding him close.

Out of the silence came the unmistakable drone of airplane engines. The ground defence guns started to pound; sending their missiles of destruction into the dark sky.

The sound of an 'Air Raid Warden' shouting at someone to "Put that light out; do you want Gerry to drop his bombs on you? 

A crunch; "That sounds near" said James

Another crunch, then another, "that was nearer"

Silence

 

The guns started again; engine drones; the guns were more active, as bomb after bomb were heard to explode

 

Wave after wave with a few minutes between each one

"They must be after the munitions factory in the chemical plant, they produce Nitric Salt and have a huge store place, they say it can hold ten thousand tons"

Mary said "Lets have a sip of tea, just a sip" she poured a drop into one of the cups "Pass this round, we may have to make it last"

 

Three o'clock. The 'All Clear' shrill continuous signal was heard.

Nora "I'll go up and get my head down for three hours, wake me at six o'clock, I'll have to be off, there may be some clearing up before we can start work"

Half past six Nora left for work; she returned five minutes later "Its the footy ground, one of the stands is gone, I'm off now; Bye"

 

James went for his morning walk. Mary and May cleared up the remains of the nights party. Folding the blankets and placing them in readiness for the next night visit, washed out the cups and flask, they shared an uneaten sandwich, for breakfast.

 

James returned from his walk.

"The big stand has gone and there are three craters on the pitch and the bowling green and cricket pavilion and the pitch itself have been hit, you can't go down New Road there is an unexploded bomb by the church, wonder how Nora is getting on  at the laundry, is she on fire watch tonight?

"No tomorrow night, then I think she has Sunday off this week, D you want ant breakfast? We shared a sandwich from last night"

"I'll make do with a mug of tea. Is that Harry stirring?  

 

Wild Rose

Aug 2020