After the Air-Raid at Roll-Royce

At some point, probably around 1941-1942, there had been a bombing raid at Rolls Royce, which was just over a fence at the bottom of my grandparents' garden. My Grandmother (Alice Maud Murden) and Mum (Joan Iris Murden - who would have been about 11-12 years old) were at the rest centre that had been set up at Nightingale Road School. On the way there, they had seen houses that had been bombed, and even a mangle that had ended up on somebody's roof!

While they were at the centre, my Grandma suffered from an ague bout, and Mum was trying to feed her some soup. Mum can remember the mayor coming round to visit the people in the centre (she can't remember what his name was). He asked my Mum if she had any sweet coupons, and when she said "Yes, sir", he told her what a good girl she was for looking after her mother, and gave her a whole shilling, which seemed like a fortune at the time. Mum has never forgotten about that shilling, and how proud she felt.

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