Bexleyheath During The Ww2 Blitz Ken Goddard

A Memory of Bexleyheath.

I was only 6yrs old at the start of the war, and lived with My Mum and Dad in Rydal Drive. I can remember so clearly most of the traumatic events of that time. My Dad was a conductor on the trolley buses garaged in Erith road. I can see now---Dad and his mates digging the hole in his treasured 'lawn', for the erection of the Anderson shelter!---and the frequent nights that we spent in the 'cold and damp' among the 'spiders! I guess my mates and I found it all very excitng, whereas our Mums and Dads must have been petrified. One of my 'luckier' mates's family had an indoor 'Morrison' shelter.We all envied him!--no going outside in the dead of night!---and he had his extensive 'train set' layed out on top of it. One of our main hobbies during those times was collecting shrapnel on the way to school, which had fallen during the night---quite a trade in 'swops'is.' My 'nose' cone, for your 'tail fin' ? Bexleheath took quite a pasting during the conflict. In
the flight path of the enemy bombers heading for the docks and the East End. Should they be short of fuel, they turned tail, dropped their load and headed for home!
Dad, during his spare time, was a volunteer fire man, as was many others. They patroled in couples around the local streets---armed with water bucket, 'stirrup pump' and a bag of sand, to tackle the many incendary bombs that did penetrate the roofs of many of the local houses.There was many a shout for my Dad---"Come on Jack!--Mrs Smiff's got one in 'er front bed!" And off they went.
I attended the Pelham Rd Junior school, during most of the war time---several close mates-------Barry Hullet,---of 153. was the nearest. Mum and I spent a few months staying with my Dads sister---my aunt, in Ruislip. It was during a bit of a 'hairy' time in London--late 1943. We went back to Bexleyheath just after 'D' Day. But on our first night back we was awakened by this strange roaring noise, passing overhead---The start of the 'Doddlebugs' or:V1s. More terrible damage in the south east. Also, these were followed by the next terror weopon, the V2 rockets! Finally, these woepons. launching sites were overun by the advancing Allied Armies in France. In the later years--52--54---during 'National Service' My Mate Barry, he was in the army, I was in the RAF
He did his 'bit' in Malaya--I was in Aden. And!--we actually met in Aden for a pint or two, in the NAFFI, on his way home for demob! We lost touch eventually, over the years. I often wonder how he faired but, of course, we are all in our 'Eighties' now! K.G.

---

---