A Railwayman's War

Doodle Bugs
Ihad many close encounters with Doodle-Bugs,Hitler VI Flying Bombs.
For several days and nights these noisy pilotless flying bombs, had been flying across England, causing panic and damage.
With no information from our government or wireless announcements, to what on earth was going on. Rumours abound: 'They are bombs with wings' 'They are aeroplanes with engine problems' 'It's Hitlers secret weapon'
I will always remember stopping at the stations, the station staff would be waiting and asking us questions that we could not answer. 'Any news yet?' 'What's happening?' 'What are these new things flying about?'
When the engines (it sounded like a worn out motor bike engine) stops, the silence is heart stopping, because after a few seconds it lands and explodes. The noise, dust and rubble, more killings and injuries.
When getting closer to London (already bomb damaged) looking out from the footplate, it was as if we were playing hide and seek with the fying bombs, going along very low, just above the terraced bomb damaged houses and chimney pots.
Note: in the 1920-30's on a german branch line, an experimental locomotive powered by 'various engines'was so weird, it was nicknamed 'The DoodleBug'

An early morning call
At home with my motheer and two sisters in the council house at Shoeburyness I had an 'early' morning duty week. My small back bedroom with it's south facing window, with the Thames less than 2 miles away towards the Garrison.
What woke me up, I don't know, but the searchlights were on, at broad beam, lighting up something weird, but heading straight for ME (a between the eyes job)
I rushed from my bedroom yelled out at mum,Ivy and Vi, ' Get up quickly and get down the coal cellar'
Yes, it was a Doodlebug, shaking the ground and house, then the engine stalled, and then the loud explosion, about a mile away at North Shoebury, Just a big, big hole and no casulties or damage.
Then looking around, what a pretty sight, Mum in a white night gown and cap, 2 sisters with their hair in curlers and me in my birth suit. We all looked at each other and roaring with laughter they went back-to-back, with myself getting dressed to go on duty.

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