Sirens wailed (From Penarth Times)

Sirens wailed

THE Penarth Times wants to hear about your wartime recollections or stories - happy or sad.

We have already received lots of letters from readers, and we will be featuring them all over the coming weeks.

Everyone who sends us a wartime memory will be entered into a monthly draw, running throughout the summer, with one lucky winner bagging a meal for two and a bottle of wine at Mediterraneo - one of Penarth's most popular restaurants.

The first draw will take place on Thursday, May 27.

Write down your memories, in no more than 300 words, and send, along with your name, address and contact details, to Penarth Times/Wartime Memories, 12 Royal Buildings, Stanwell Road, Penarth CF64 3YU. Or email them to penarthtimes@gwent-wales.co.uk

WARTIME MEMORIES

by Lucy Maggs

THE Sirens wailed, warning the people of south east Wales that enemy aircraft were approaching.

We, the Best family, lived in Bromfield Place.

My father Frank Best was ill in bed in the front room of our house. That made us decide to stay with him as a family and just wait.

Sometime later we were showered with incendiary bombs.

We were watching the back of Albert Road School burning when there was a banging on the front door.

My mother, who had just been busy smothering bombs with sand, answered the door to find our neighbour in a panic.

She shouted loud enough for my father to hear: "Frank, the stable is on fire and they can't get your horse out."

My father jumped out of bed, put on a coat, forgot he was ill and went to rescue his faithful pal, his shire horse named - if I remember rightly - Prince.

He got him out by coaxing him with his very familiar voice.

Now the problems began. What to do with a very large, very frightened shire horse in the middle of an air raid?

My cousin Bob Miller, who lived with us at the time along with his wife Nell and daughter Pauline, found the answer with the help of my father.

A long length of rope was found and attached to Prince as best they could. Bob then stayed with the horse through the rest of the air raid.

In the meantime, a bucket chain was formed by most of the people in the street until the fire was brought under control.