Memories

During 1939, I was working at Chorley Bleach Works and in September that year war was declared. In 1941 I was sent a letter to go for an interview at the Royal Ordinance Factory in Euxton, Lancashire.

Thankfully, I was not sent to work on the line (where they made bombs) as I had an allergy to the powder. I was sent to work in the canteen where I worked until 1945. I enjoyed the fellowship of the people that I worked with.

During 1942 - 1944 I remember the bombs being dropped on the village of Adlington, demolishing the Plough Hotel only yards from my own home

During 1942-1944 I remember the bombs being dropped on the village of Adlington, damaging the Plough Hotel. Two others dropped near the dye works, one a land mine, one went off and shattered a lot of windows nearby, bomb disposal soldiers came to detonate the one that did’nt go off, we all had to open windows when they did this, but a lot were broken again.

When enemy planes came over and the sirens went off, we were supposed to go in the air raid shelters, the school had a large one, and a lot of people had small one’s in there gardens, air raid wardens came round to make sure no lights were showing because of the blackout. Car headlights had black strips covering them also cycles and motorcycles. It was impossible to get batteries for my bike so, I had carbide lights which went out if I went over a bump, which left me in absolute darkness. One night coming home from work, coming out of St.Thomas’s road ,I had reached Fazacherly St. when someone shone a torch at me,it was a policeman,telling me my cycle light had gone out,we had no matches to relight it, he would’nt let me walk home to Adlington, a man came along who had a cigarette lighter,and between them they got it lit.They had a good laugh as they had’nt seen a carbide lamp before.

One Saturday night I was at a dance in the village of Adlington, the sirens went, we heard the plane come over, and a bomb was dropped on the doctor’s house 50yards away,trapping the doctors wife and family in the cellar I don’t think they were hurt just shaken.

Another time I was coming home from my aunt’s on the bus,I got off at the Elephant and Castle pub,I met two soldiers who were billeted at Adlington Hall, as we were talking a Jerry plane came over, they made a different noise to ours a sort of chugging droning sound ,I looked up it was overhead, I saw the bomb doors open as it showed a light, we saw the bomb dropping, it fell near the smithy and damaged it, just seconds after I had passed. So home we went as quickly as we could. Finally I was working on nights when the sirens went, there sounded more than one plane, a bomb dropped just missing the Royal Ordinance Factory an and Chorley Hospital, if either had been hit, there would have been enormous casualties.

In May I945 Britain celebrated V.E .day, the same year I married, and was granted permission to return to my previous employment, working there until late 1946 when my husband was de-mobbed and I became pregnant with our first child.

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