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59 St Asaph Rd
Brockley SE4

Sunday morning

My dear Win,
All of us in St Asaph Rd + adjoining roads must thank God for his providence last night, we went to our dugouts as usual at 8o/c last night and nothing much happened for some time except for a plane getting through and AA fir. Just before 12o/c we heard a very strange noise just like the continual shunting of a train which gradually got louder and seemed to take some minutes to fall and them silence a few minutes later Wardens came rushing down the road knocking and calling for everybody to leave their homes within 5 minutes and to Aske’s Schools [ there were two — the boys grammar school in Pepys Road some 250 m distant for my father and the a girls’ grammar school further away in Jernimgham Road SE14.] What had happened was that a 2000lb land mine [900kg] with parashoot [sic] decent had fallen on a house in Dundalk Rd [intersecting with St Asaph] and was hanging from the roof. The parashoot had caught the house and held the mine. If this had fallen everything within 350 yds [320m] would have been flat to the ground, however we are not yet certain that it can be removed without exploding but all of us are away and safe, to make matters worse when we had to leave the barrage was at its highest and shrapnel was falling all round us, I nearly led to a panic when we reached Askes School and found it shut over a thousand people were under fire and no shelter however Mr + Mrs Friend + Mr + Mrs Beasley [neighbours from Nos 65 and 77 St Asaph respectively] went off down Pepy’s Hill to one of my members [clients] houses but could get no answer we then went to Ommany Rd knocking at houses for shelter but could get none shrapnel was raining down and it was a miracle none of us got hit we eventually got in a dugout at the end of Jerningham Rd and they were going to refuse me admission because of Roddy [our pet dog — a chow] however I told the marshall what had happened and everything was OK he then gave us a form to go to Childeric Rd School where we would have food and shelter we left for this place after the all clear and was thankful for a cup of tea although it was well stewed. At 7.30 we had breakfast, 2 slices of bread + marge with Jam and a cup of tea. Mrs Friend + Mrs Beasley have gone to Sheerness until we can go home again and they have kindly taken Roddy with them as I was stranded with or pet it may be days before we can go back home if ever ain t could not take him with me on my round.

Seeing only a few of Brockley’s refugees were at Childeric Rd we wanted to know where the baulk was so that we could all be together and was informed that buses had taken them to Plessy Rd School, Catford. So we toddled off to this address where we shall stay until our return

Today’s dinner was baked beans + potatoes, for tea bread and cheese + tea so you can see we are living high.

I don’t know what will happen to Mr Gost when he returns home tonight as he was away with Mrs Gost for the weekend.[Mr + Mrs Gost were lodgers who rented the top part of our house at 59 St Asaph Rd. He was in the army stationed in Scotland and declared that it was far more dangerous in London than at his military posting. Mrs Gost worked on the underground and I believe, sheltered there often.] All the district is roped off and nobody is allowed near the danger area.

Well my dear we are living in high times

God Bless us all keep you well + safe and may he guard our home

Lots of love Frank XXXXXX

God Bless our Son Francis XXXXX

The enclosed, please keep as a relique.[sic]

Excuse writing we are a little shaken have just attended an old Gent 81 who fell down a flight of stairs.

[There is no indication as to what the enclosed relic may have been. Father’s handwriting was excellent but Mother was rather ‘fierce’ especially about poor spelling and grammar. She often upbraided dad for his faults — including his literary ones!]

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