View of Norwich Market place looking down from City Hall this is where the VE and VJ celebrations
were held when the war ended.If you remember in an earlier journal l told you how both myself and my future husband Dick watched an american airman shin up the lamp post in the centre of the market place celebrating the end of the second world war, and falling from the top...a broken arm was the only injury he had...and to think Dick and me didn't know each other then but were obviously very near each other to witness the same event...We went on to have a very happy married Life togeter
They are refurbishing the Market at the moment, underground there are store rooms for use by the stall holders - and this is where we slept for six nights after having a bomb land in our back garden. That was one of the hazards of living right in the heart of Norwich. But also made it exciting as when we used to go to the shelters there would be actors and actresses who were playing at the Theatre Royal and they would keep us entertained you can imagine how nice that was for us children.
Back to the bomb landing in our back yard, fortunately for us it did not explode - thank goodness it didn't as that night we had to go down the Cellar in our house,we didn't have time to get to Chapel Field air raid shelters where we would normally have been under such circumstances as the crash warning had sounded and we couldn't then go out on to the streets.
The House Shook, and I can remember Dad saying ..."That was a close one"...When the All Clear sounded we went back to our beds .....Little did we know what a close shave we all had until the next morning when the back door was opened
and Dad saw a gaping hole where our back garden used to be...
Racing up the stairs he grabbed me and my little brother shouting for everyone to get out of the house - which we did at Break neck speed not knowing what all the panic was about. only later being told what had happened..
That the Anderson Shelter was blown to smither ends, and the Garden was a total wreck... (We rarely used the Anderson Shelter) as Mum liked to be in the company of friends and Neighbours who also used the Shelters over the park..
We were not allowed to go back into the house until the Bombhad been dealt with.
So that is why we spent six sleep overs (nights) sleeping under Norwich Market place
15 comments:
That is amazing to read about what happened. The story about the Norwich market place and photo gives a clear image of where you were. Have a good weekend Ally. mark
Wow!
That's some story.
Such a close call.
Your family angel must have been very busy that day/nite.
Merry Christmas to you:)
Niki
journals.aol.com/thinkingoutloud/ThinkingOutLoud/
I know the dear people in England really suffered during WW II. We here in the US have really been blessed. The Sept 11th incident in New York is probably the closest we've come to having our country attacked. Another cold day here Ally, but I'm off today and even tho I have a doctors appt and other things to do, I don't have to leave the house until 9:30am. The sun is supposed to warm us up to 40*. Linda
I can't quite remember the bombing in Dundee but we were hit a few times usually by mistake they used to use the River Tay as a guide west to get to the River Clyde so they could bomb Clydebank where a lot of the British Fleet were docked, so if they were in trouble we got the bombs. My Dad was in tne ARP before he joined up. LOvely story today enjoyed it thank you for sharing. Love Joan.
Wow been sort of lookin at your journal for sum time now (hope thats ok) and have lived around norwich (Hingham & Attleborough) all my life . Lets hear more of your wartime experiences in Norwich it makes a real good read for this norolk boi . Spike aka Simon.
wow very interesting entry :o) What a close shave you had back then, i can't begin to imagine what it was like to live during ww2 in an area that was attacked regularly Caff xxx
Thank you for a lovely and interesting entry.
Lovely pic and great story Ally ,its funny you wouldnt have been very old but you never forget something like that do you ,we ,and you are blessed you are still here to tell the tale excellent dear .......Jan xx
I've seen pictures of the bomb shelters that were under London, it must of been scarey for all involved. When we see the pictures of war from the past and they are so horrific...it's unimaginable that we are still making war. That must have been some experience for you and your family....Sandi http://journals.aol.com/sdoscher458/LifeIsFullOfSurprises
Hi Ally, that was an amazing story, It must have been a bit scary for you at the time, a bomb landing in your garden like that! Thanks for sharing this story with us. :o)
Sandra xxxxx
It's good that you have that picture Ally, it will all change in the coming years and you won't recognise the place, but you'll be able to look back now. Must have been brrr down the shelters and you've probably rubbed shoulders.......and shared a blanket with some famous people. Rache xx
That must have been so scarey. In a house I lived in a few years ago we found two unexploded mortar bombs when we were digging the garden. I'm glad you survived to tell the tale!! Jeannette.
This is a very interesting entry Ally. Thanks for sharing it. I'm so glad you lived to tell it and become my j-land friend. Paula
Merry Christmas
WOW what a interesting story.I am glad things worked out after all that amazing craziness and could have took your life.Thanks for sharing Ally
Until next time,Melodie
I do remember you saying that you had both seen the guy fall from the lamp post :o) Must have been strange - in a nice way - to think that you were close enough to have witnessed the same thing, but hadn't yet met. What a lucky escape you all had that night with the bomb landing in your back yard and not exploding!!! Thank goodness for that!!!
Sara x
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