An Unexploded Bomb

My father was away at the time, the Germans having bombed Swansea. He being a foreman linesman with The G.P.O (now British Telecom) had been sent there to help restore the Lines of Communication.

Frequently the air raid warning would sound about six o'clock in the evening. My mother and I would finish our dinner then proceed to the Air Raid shelter. This was the basement of a tall building on the Moseley Road. Previously we had taken refuge in a neighbour's Anderson shelter. But we did not feel safe in it especially after it had been lifted a foot or so into the air with us in it when a bomb exploded nearby. Often, in the basement I would share a couple of blankets with Miss Ralph, the daughter of a neighbour. I was about fifteen at the time and still had my innocence!

On the night in question we had returned from the basement at about five o'clock. Tea was being made when we heard a loud explosion. My mother grabbed hold of me and together we dashed for the pantry under the stairs. After awhile I persuaded my mother that all was safe. She cautiously peered out of the front door and was greeted by our long haired kitten covered in sand.

Opposite our house was a builder's yard and during the raid a bomb had dropped into a pile of sand there, failing to explode. Later it did and that was the cause of panic. For fear of another un-exploded bomb in the vicinity we with our neighbours were evacuated to an old folks home in Uffcombe Park.

The old folk had suffered more than we had for the home had sustained a direct hit, fortunately no none was injured. We lay about on spare beds all day and in the later afternoon were allowed to go home. The kitten was found and the sand combed out of its fur and we prepared, yet again, for another night in the shelter.

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