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As a four year old, I often spent many hours with the ARP at Capland Street school in St. Marylebone. Early one morning I was walking with my grandfather along Lisson Grove when without warning I recall being thrown to the ground whilst a bomb passed only a few feet over our heads and destroyed the entire goods yard at Marylebone station, it was like a giant bonfire complete with fireworks to a small boy like me. My grandfather having picked me up decided that we should visit a childrens orphanage nearby where I often went to play with the children. Other members of the ARP arrived by now but I was allowed to go with them. I saw them all lying on the floor so I ran to cuddle them only to be told that they had been killed in the blast. I will remember that moment for ever. Shortly after I was taken for a walk along the towpath of the Grand Union Canal, I followed behind my grandfather and was attracted to a cigar that was lying in the water, I bent down and took it out of the water then immedietly ran to show my find to the RAP men who quickly took it from me. I was told later that it was a mans finger with a ring on it. Being small no details were given to me but through a conversation that I heard at the school that it was believed to be the finger of the Belgium ambassador who's residence was also bombed that same night, but of course I cannot confirm that this was true.
We also lived in a block of flats that was also affected by the blast and being taken home we checked on our pet who was an african grey parrot who was a excellent speaker and hated Hitler, but that is another story.

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