Air Raids

A Memory of Boston.

These memories are as fresh in my mind as if they happened last week. Boston had its share of air raids, the first one was on a rainy Monday, it was July, the first day of our summer school holidays. It would be about 7.15 am when we heard a low flying plane, then a mighty explosion, followed by the blast, which took out out the fanlight above the front door, the house seemed to lift.
The bomb had landed at the back of Mariners Passage, a Mrs Gee was killed, I knew her as I used to go next door to my pals. For those who don't know where it was, it was where the Liquorpond Surgery is. The people who lived in the houses that were damaged had to get out, and their belongings were stored in St Aiden's church which was next to Chapel Passage There were other raids, bombs landed on the railway goods yard. Another night bombs landed on Silver Street, and Bargate, leaving a large crater, and badly damaging Hollands Garage. Another night, bombs hit James Street, killing several including kiddies. Another night, bombs hit Windsor Bank, and May and Hassle storage sheds. A stick of bombs landed on the sea bank near an Electric Pylon on another night. Those bombs are still in the ground. I know the army has tried twice to locate them, but failed. I asked one team when they were there, would they be able to find them, they said, they have moved with the silt. The last raid, I awakened in the night to a low flying plane, which was machine-gunning the town. I shouted to my father what was happening, he said " get to sleep they are practising" The next morning I went to see what had happened. I saw cannon shells in the brickwork, in front of Boots, on the corner of the Town Bridge. There were cannon shells in the brick work of the Blue Lion at the top of Lincoln Lane. I also got part of a shell from under the gate of the Post Office pole yard, which was, in High Street, where the new bridge is now.

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