Jim Midgely
Sleeping Beauty
People in story: Jim Midgely, Annie
Midgely (Mum) and Tom Midgely
Location of story: Kingston-upon-Hull
Background to story: Civilian
This story was
submitted to the People’s War site by Bill Ross of the ‘BBC Action Desk –
Sheffield’ Team on behalf of Jim Midgely,.
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Around 1941 – 42, my family lived in the Witham area. It was my brother’s first
week at work, having left school at 15. Friday was payday. In the evening, he
went out with his pals and got well wrecked (drunk?). He came home about 11
p.m. and went to bed where he fell into a deep sleep!!
During the
night, the air raid sirens sounded. Mum rounded up the 4 younger children but
she could not wake Tom up. There were bombs dropping all around. Mum took the
four children to the air raid shelter and came out when the ‘all clear’ was
given. The HOUSE WAS GONE!! However, the bedroom floor was still sticking out
of the next door’s wall. The bed was still in place with Tom Midgely still fast
asleep, covered in tiles and muck, totally unharmed and with his flat cap still
on.
A bomb had hit the front of the house sucking in the front wall. It ricocheted
off the Yorklist Range cast iron fireplace and took out the back wall. It
landed in the street killing several people. Mum eventually had 8 children and
they all survived the war.
PR-BR