Reg:
“Bombs began to fall in London so I was evacuated again to stay with my aunt and uncle [in Hatfield]. One night we heard three loud bangs and were told the next morning that three mines [bombs] had been dropped near the saw mills in Hatfield Park.
A local boy and I walked to the saw mills and saw three craters amongst shattered trees. I found this piece of metal shaped like a witch’s hat, about 3 inches high and am convinced it is a piece of a mine. I remained convinced until someone produces proof it is not and shatters a school boy’s illusion.
[The] bombing of London gets worse so mother decides we will move house and all evacuate to Hatfield [mum, my older sister and me]. Mum was a widow, my father had died when I was 5 and my older brother had joined the army. So I returned to help pack.
The first night home, the siren sounds and we hurry to the Anderson Shelter in the garden. I hear a screaming bomb. The Germans fitted sirens to some bombs so that as they fell through the air they made a screaming sound; [intending] to frighten us. It didn’t seem very frightening to me and reminded me of fireworks night. Mother was last to leave the house. As she ran past the outhouse she heard something hit the ground by her feet. In the morning, we found this jagged piece of metal [shown in photograph].”