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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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A Downed pilot

by diverpaulunderwood

Contributed by 
diverpaulunderwood
People in story: 
Mrs W. L. Underwood
Location of story: 
Chingford Essex
Article ID: 
A4419056
Contributed on: 
10 July 2005

My mother, who died several years ago oftern spoke of an event which happened one night during a very heavy raid. They, the Germans, were tring to blow up the King George reservoirs at Edmontion east london. My mother worked as a bar maid in a pub called "The Kings Head" at the top of King Head Hill North Chingford Essex, it lay directly under the bomb run of the planes, the area was heavy with antie air craft guns. The raid was so heavy that when it was time to cycle home the landlord did not let any of his girls go. They spent the night in the celler of the pub with the raid going on outside. In the morning when the all clear was sounded everybody started for home. A large crowd had gathered at the top of "The Ridgeway" in the middle of the road sat a German fighter with the pilot sitting on the wing smoking a fag! and waiting for the police. I wonder if that guy is still alive today? I dont know if the plane was damaged or if it had ran out of fuel. Be it luck or skill this guy came down in pitch blackness.

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