Flying bombs 1943

For speedy technical training a group of us (mostly 18yr olds) were selected to follow a 21 month intensive technical training at the then Enfield Technical College. Four of us were billeted in a small terrace house in Ponders End and we all slept in one relatively small room. We had to join the Home Guard and the narrow hall was almost blocked because of the 4 Home Guard full kits stored there with 4 bicycles. Our landlady worked hard to feed us and most evenings we had rabbit and we all; landlady, her daughter and the 4 of us sat round the large Morrison shelter, which served as a dining table. We supplemented our diet with trips to the Lincoln Road British Restauant where we could get a good lunch for 1/-. It was at the peak of the V1 assault and, when the siren went, the 6 of us went downstairs to sleep under the table. After it became too uncomfortable two of us were sent to sleep in the Anderson shelter in the garden.

What surprises me now is how indifferent we were to the flying bombs. We did not change our lives and used to go the hear the big bands at the Royal, Tottenham or go to the cinema at the Angel Edmonton and it was not unusual for the trolley bus (679) to rock when a flying bomb fell nearby.

My landlady was worried one night when the ceiling came down onto my bed; I spat out the dust and promptly went to sleep again.

The V2s came later and were more unnerving as there was no warning.

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