Denis
The Blitz: A first-hand account
This is Denis story,
East London.
seriouse mant
I was not quite 14 years old when the Blitz started in 1940, and was living in Peckham, South
The Blitz started in earnest on the 7th of September (...). I worked in a paper shop. (...)
During an air raid earlier in the day a stick of bombs hit this area (...). Dust was everywhere
Peckham, we could see the huge, red glow in the sky as the dockland areas with all their
That night, they came back and bombed the East end of London, around the docks.From
stockpiles of sugar, wines, rum, timber and other perishable goods burned.(...)
possière
and gas mains in the streets were on fire(...)
cocalabos gas
The fires in dockland burned for days.
From this day on, London was bombed for 74 nights (...).
abris
This meant going down to our shelter each night and staying there, except for trips to the toilet
during quiet periods. We also had a couple who lived next door and used to come into our shelter,
so there were six of us trying to sleep in this small area, and then next morning go to work, if it
was still there (...).
(One night) Dad and I were standing in the doorway of number 19, looking out to the street.
Guns were firing, searchlights were probing the sky and it was nearly as bright as daytime. He
Fire was to give me some form of courage for what we were witnessing; the street had just been hit by
raid, rolled himself a cigarette and also one for me. I forget the exact words he said, but the cigarette
ham
some fire-bombs (...).
The bombing of London caused widespread damage, but it wasn't enough to achieve Goering's
goal of destroying British moral, or bringing England to her knees. (...)
At the end of September, 1940, I (...) started a morning paper round with a newsagent nearer
me..(...) On the morning of the 15th of October the siren sounded, so I finished deliveries in the
eet I was in and made my way back to the shop.
he way I could see German aircraft in the sky and see the bombs falling from the planes..
bomb hit a house as I was cycling past. I had cuts on my head, as well as cuts and injuries
wrist and arm (...). I was now the local hero, head bandaged and arm in a sling (...). The
ere still happening, but we were getting used to them and life had to go on. .(...)
un on il
y 1941, aged just 14 years and 3 months old, I started work as an Instrument Maker's
where I worked until I volunteered for the R.A.F. in early 1944.

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