Post by llosgi calch on Apr 26, 2011 21:52:13 GMT
An email from Phil Jones regarding our war time memories on the main website pages...
I was in the same class as Merfyn Williams and remember the war well.
I lived at Penygelli Hall and remember the night of 2nd September, 1940. German bombers bombed Minera Mountain. We were sheltering under a farmhouse kitchen table and could hear the bombs whistling down. My Auntie Gladys was getting married next day, and she was more worried about the wedding presents which were on display in the drawing room, rather than her personal safety. We had just had six weeks summer holiday and now a stray, unexploded bomb had landed near Penygelli Junior School and we had another six weeks off school before they could come and deal with that bomb!
My father was in the Rescue Party - which seemed to mean being on duty in the Police Station some nights and getting free fry-ups. Coventry was badly bombed and he was called away once to deal with that.
Penygelli Hall was surrounded by trees and two Air Raid Wardens called once because they thought they had heard a bomb come crashing through the trees. We had heard nothing and seen nothing. Next day I found a hole. The police and others were informed and ' experts ' came to examine my discovery next day. It was only a rabbit hole. What a disappointment!
I can remember exactly where I was at 11.am on Sunday, 3rd September, 1939 when war broke out. My father was a carpenter and joiner and he was repairing a gate at Penygelli Hall when a neighbour ran to tell us the news. I also remember the VJ celebrations vividly. £25 had been spent on a village fireworks display.
The first rocket or Catherine wheel was lit and then a stray spark set-off the lot. We ran like mad with rockets whizzing along the floor in all directions!
All in all, we had a great time during those war years because we were too young to really worry. My father had built an air-raid shelter in the orchard covered with clods of turf. This became our den. We even built shortunderground tunnels in our childish innocence, which is quite dangerous when you come to think of it.
Regards,
Phil Jones.
I was in the same class as Merfyn Williams and remember the war well.
I lived at Penygelli Hall and remember the night of 2nd September, 1940. German bombers bombed Minera Mountain. We were sheltering under a farmhouse kitchen table and could hear the bombs whistling down. My Auntie Gladys was getting married next day, and she was more worried about the wedding presents which were on display in the drawing room, rather than her personal safety. We had just had six weeks summer holiday and now a stray, unexploded bomb had landed near Penygelli Junior School and we had another six weeks off school before they could come and deal with that bomb!
My father was in the Rescue Party - which seemed to mean being on duty in the Police Station some nights and getting free fry-ups. Coventry was badly bombed and he was called away once to deal with that.
Penygelli Hall was surrounded by trees and two Air Raid Wardens called once because they thought they had heard a bomb come crashing through the trees. We had heard nothing and seen nothing. Next day I found a hole. The police and others were informed and ' experts ' came to examine my discovery next day. It was only a rabbit hole. What a disappointment!
I can remember exactly where I was at 11.am on Sunday, 3rd September, 1939 when war broke out. My father was a carpenter and joiner and he was repairing a gate at Penygelli Hall when a neighbour ran to tell us the news. I also remember the VJ celebrations vividly. £25 had been spent on a village fireworks display.
The first rocket or Catherine wheel was lit and then a stray spark set-off the lot. We ran like mad with rockets whizzing along the floor in all directions!
All in all, we had a great time during those war years because we were too young to really worry. My father had built an air-raid shelter in the orchard covered with clods of turf. This became our den. We even built shortunderground tunnels in our childish innocence, which is quite dangerous when you come to think of it.
Regards,
Phil Jones.