- Contributed by
- West Sussex Library Service
- People in story:
- Mary Flores
- Location of story:
- Streatham, London
- Background to story:
- Civilian
- Article ID:
- A4579284
- Contributed on:
- 28 July 2005
In view of the bombings in London on 7th July 2005, what happened when a doodlebug flattened our house in 1944 seems from this distance not so alarming.
We used to go into the Morrison shelter, but that day, in 1944 my mother had a sort of premonition and told the neighbours that she was taking my sister and I to a street shelter in Leigham Court Road, Streatham.
When the lights went out the air raid warden said, “they’ve hit the power station.” This power sub-station was at the end of our garden at 41 Valley Road. My school Streatham Hill High School was also bombed.
We came back in the morning and saw everything flattened. We went to a reception centre in a school in Sunny Hill Road, Streatham. After that we went to stay with relatives in Herne Bay. From the house in Herne Bay we could see the flying bombs passing over. We spent VE day in Herne Bay. Our house in Valley Road was eventually re-built.
My brothers who served in the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Navy were named Robert C Flores and John Flores.
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