This being Memorial Day, it brought back this memory of World
War II.
I recall that my friends and I were giving a birthday party for one of the GI's
who was going to be twenty one, and as you know, in England that was considered
a coming of age party (it may be changed now, I am not sure). It was sad because
his outfit got moved and we did not find out in time.
My father suggested that my friends and I who were going to a dance before the party
may be able to find a couple of young men to share in the party celebration even
though the one it had been planned for had been transferred. Some of the other girls
had boy friends that were still going to be able to be there. The reason we decided
to go ahead with the party was because friends and neighbors had given us some of
their rations, sugar, flour, etc. so we could make a birthday cake, and we wanted
to share the cake. Also we had managed a few sandwiches.
So off we went to the dance. We were to be back home no later
than 9 PM, as the dance started at 7 PM but we needed a little time before the boys
were to return to base, by 1200 PM or 2400 Hrs. When we got to the dance,
word got around and we ended up with about eighteen, counting my friends.
I remember my father grinning when he opened the door and commenting he did not
expect all the army. There were about ten American airmen, two Canadians and
a British airman. We had our little party but we noticed the men were constantly
watching the time as they had to be sure to get back to base by 12 PM and could
not be late. I might add that the base was only a few miles away and they
had a truck to return them to base. The Canadian boys were twins and very entertaining,
amateur magicians; we sang a few war songs. A good time was had by all.
The next day we found out that the raid they were going to fly that night was to
hit a very essential plant in Germany which produced ball bearings, and this was
to be the first raid to destroy the factory. This raid became known as Black Thursday.
I believe the date was October 13th, 1943. Sixteen bombers left for that raid. One
aborted due to technical difficulties and of the remaining fifteen, only two bombers
returned. One crash landed on the south coast of England and only one returned to
base at Chelveston, which was about 12 miles from my home. We learned in the next
couple of days that 8 of those boys including the 2 Canadians had all been killed.
It is difficult to describe the sadness and shock we all shared to think just a
short time before this horrible tragedy they had all been laughing and singing.
Alas this was wartime and things like this happened daily. Sorry to end on a sad
note.
