Saturday 1 April 2006

wartime in Norwich

When Dick first left school he went into an apprenticeship as cabinet maker ~ and worked in Heigham Street ~ in Norwich ~

I was at school "Heigham House" which was also in Heigham Street ~ we didn't know each other then ~

Dick tells this story ~ he was in work one day and looking up into the sky ~ he could see this airplane obviously in distress ~ and as it came lower ~ and lower just above the houses and getting nearer to his place of work it was so low he could see the crew members ~ at this point in time his boss literally threw Dick under the work bench ~ the plane just missing them ~ it crashed just further on where there were no houses ~ the hand written date at the top was when this article appeared in the newspapers ~

 

Dick always said he would never forget seeing that plane and those men inside ~

Ally

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ally that's a really interesting story and to think that Dick actually saw them in their cockpit when they were trying desperately not to crash on the street. How frightening must that have been both for Dick and his boss and also for the pilots - knowing that they are about to meet their death but thinking of others at the same time.  Laine xxx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/elainey2465/MyArtWorld/

Anonymous said...

And to think that he missed your school and Dicks works ,no dont think! Are you gong to write to this lady she would find your memory interesting ......Jan xx

Anonymous said...

What a very moving tale Ally. How brave the crew of the bomber were to think of civilians before themselves...and they were so young to lose their lives. ..like countless others in war. No wonder Dick never forgot the sight of them as they went down to their deaths.  So sad. Actually Dicks boss came up trumps too by throwing Dick under the workbench to try and protect him!!  Incidentally did he respond to the paper and get in touch to tell his tale?  \eve

Anonymous said...

No wonder Dick never forgot those very brave men,thank goodness his boss pushed him to safety under the work bench,moving story Ally.....Jeanx

Anonymous said...

What brave men, so courageous of them to try and save the civilian population God rest them.  Your hubby was very lucky to be pushed out of the way.

tp://journals.aol.co.uk/jeanno43/JeannettesJottings/

Anonymous said...

Ally what a wonderful story. To have been that close to something so sad must've stayed with Dick always ~ and how glad I was to hear he was saved, and your school ~ you were obviously meant to be.
Hugs ~x Debbie x~

http://journals.aol.com/debbiewebb4465/TheLifeTimesofanEssexGirl

Anonymous said...

wow what an awful experience..

Anonymous said...

Thats an incredible story. . .those men were very brave to think of others too knowing what was about to happen to them.Dick had a lucky escape that day.

Anonymous said...

That must have been quite traumatising for DicK, so glad he wasn't injured. War is such a futile thing isn't it? Jeannette.  

Anonymous said...

Hi Ally, it must have been very frightening for Dick at the time.  It could all have been very different.

Sandra xxxx

Anonymous said...

Hi Ally what a sad story all the worse for being true.  Well done your Ka for passing its MOT. Love Joan.

Anonymous said...

What a narrow miss! I think when you barely escape with your life you come to appreciate life more too.....Sandi

Anonymous said...

Gee whiz how fascinating. Thanks for
reposting your link to the news clipping.
(The newspaper clipping has no by-line,
so how could one respond to the writer's plea?)
I'll have to reread your entry. Those who responded
must have had magic powers in not needing
your new, provided, link. Maybe only American
AOL Members had trouble.) Because my father
John Carrick Rennie Bartle immigrated to Australia
from England when he was in his early twenties
I've always had especially strong urgency about
wanting Australia, England, and America to be friends
in peace AND war. I have a relative by marriage whose
fighter plane crashed in the ocean (Mediteranean Sea maybe)
and very nearly died from the cold. Later in life in the
blazing Australian summer he's wear his RAF woolen
jacket and scarf while driving his tractor. In short,
he never fully recovered. There was a toll therefore on
his family.

Us older folks all have a war anecdote to tell
I guess. Forgive me.

Barry

Anonymous said...

Hi Ally,  I`m glad I got to see the article. No wonder it always stayed with Dick.

Sandra xxxx

Anonymous said...

Wow, that is really something.   There are so many war stories similar to that.  Some mountain climbers recently found a wreckage of a military plane with a body from the 1940's here in Washington up on Mt Rainier.  Officials were able to remove the human remains, identify and notify remaining family members of the pilot who died in that crash so many years ago.  He was recently buried with military honors next to his parents in a cemetary down in Calif.  I'm sure there were hundreds of incidents like that and in some cases no one ever knew what really happened, their loved ones just went missing, never to return or to be heard from again.  Linda

Anonymous said...

THAT IS SO SAD...THANK GOD THAT DICK WAS OK AND NOT HURT...NOELLE

Anonymous said...

Hi Ally!

What an awesome story.  I could just see the fright on those young pilots faces, and so brave to spend their last moments protecting others.  So glad you and  Dick were safe!

Also...thank you for checking on me!  :)

Darlene

Anonymous said...

Dear Ally....thanks for sharing this story...and what a memory for Dick to be left with....but if known...there would be many stories to be told of that time in history...we have friends who live in Basingstoke...and they tell of times...it is amazing and awesome to listen....Hugs to you from KY...Ora

Anonymous said...

What an interesting story. Paula

Anonymous said...

That is truly a heroic story of the pilot's steering clear of the houses.   It makes me believe all the more that there must be a place after death that our soul's are taken to.    It would have been very difficult for Dick to see the crew members before the certain death.    Stories like this should be remembered and honored.   mark

Anonymous said...

Wow what a story Ally.
Thanks for sharing it!
  *** Coy ***

http://journals.aol.com/coy1234787/Dancingintherain

Anonymous said...

Ally, thanks for sharing this wonderful story with us.
elisa