- Contributed by听
- threecountiesaction
- People in story:听
- David Chapleo
- Location of story:听
- Portsmouth
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A5519748
- Contributed on:听
- 04 September 2005
This story was submitted to the People's War Site by Joan Smith for Three Counties Action on behalf of David Chapleo, a visitor to the Glenn Miller Festival on August 28th 2005, and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.
We lived on a steep road on Portsdown Hill which had a panoramic view of Portsmouth Harbour and docks. We had a grandstand view when the docks were bombed, and being a little boy I found it exciting. I used to have a superb collection of shell fragments and my mother impressed on me not to pick up pieces that were red-hot.
My father worked for the Airspeed Aircraft Company and they designed the Horsa Glider which was used on D-Day. It was made of plywood and designed to be made in a furniture factory.
I remember in 1944 seeing the sea solid with ships all the way across to the Isle of Wight - and then suddenly it seemed they all disappeared.
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