Pictured left is Ernest, with wife Francis and dog Sunny. As a seven years old, Ernest Withall was close to death when a bomb landed feet away from his home in Croydon.
Now aged 77 the memories of those fateful years of the Second World War are still at the front of his mind.
The ex-army officer said: “Although we were very frightened, we soon got used to the loud noises of the bombs and had to get on with life”.
He remembers how scared he was when the war broke out. It had a significant effect on his childhood, and today he regularly remembers the flaming streets of his targeted hometown.
Having his father abroad working for the RAF at the time made things more difficult for the Withall family. Ernest, his mother and baby sister were left at home to cope by themselves in a time of complete devastation.
Soon after leaving England, his father became a prisoner of war in Barth, Germany. Because of this, Ernest had to take on many of his father’s responsibilities. His mother went to work whilst the young boy had to look after his newly born sister.
“When we heard the air raid sirens, we ran to the shelters. As children, we thought it was great fun”.
Even though the war brought negativity to the community, Ernest saw it as an opportunity for everyone to work together.
Now retired from work as an army officer, Ernest lives in Ferndown, Bournemouth and is able to relax with his wife Francis and two dogs Toby and Sunny.
