- Contributed by
- Clifford Marsh
- People in story:
- Clifford John Marsh, Mr Curtis, Mr Taffy Jenkins
- Location of story:
- Bristol
- Background to story:
- Civilian
- Article ID:
- A4629549
- Contributed on:
- 30 July 2005
I was 13 and a pupil at Fonthill Road School, Southmead, Bristol situated in near vicinity of the Bristol Aeroplane works at Filton.
During the first air raid on Filton works in 1940 the school took to the underground shelters, when the first bombs fell. Shortly all the lights in the shelter went out and earth fell in from the roof. Two of the teachers Mr Curtis and Mr Jenkins, who were both disciplinarians, were outstanding in their reaction to calm the pupils and put us at ease.
When the raid was over we were marched out and various pupils were told not to return to their homes in certain roads because of the damage. We were then informed that the aerodrome had received a serious raid and we all concerned as most of us had family members working there. My father, a sprayer, arrived home at 3:30 pm that afternoon in his overalls. Dad told us that two shelters received a direct hit and there had been numerous casualties.
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