- Contributed by
- beatricebartlett
- People in story:
- Bette Bartlett
- Location of story:
- Silvertown London E17
- Background to story:
- Civilian
- Article ID:
- A2723825
- Contributed on:
- 08 June 2004
I was born in Silvertown in Londons East End in 1916.
Charles Street was one of seven streets in Silvertown. Surrounded by factories all round us: Tate and Lyle, Baer and Ingram, Keelers Silvertown was a very busy industrial area in the heart of Londons Docklands.
I was twenty-four years old when war broke out. George and I had only been married a short time and had moved to Rainham in
Essex.
I worked at Fords in Dagenham on Spitfires doing rivoting, most of the time we would be working with no roof on the building and could see the skies overhead.
The night of the Big One was one I will never forget.
George yelled at me to get down inside the sidecar as the planes droned overhead, and the incendry bombs came down around us. He drove as fast as he could whilst the planes overhead fired at us. When we got home George was so sick with fear.
The airport at Hornchurch
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