Cyril's blitz egg-citement

This story was recounted to me by my Aunt Hilary following my father's death.

My father Cyril Thomas was born in 1934, his sister Hilary was born a couple of years later. Their understanding of the second world war was one of black out curtains, sirens, fires and rations - but they don't remember the beginning of the war.

My Aunt recounted to me a war time experience she and my father laughed about in later years.

The blitz of 1941 was a scary time for all in Swansea. There were many bombs, many deaths and many parents worried for the safety of themselves and their children.

On this particular night, the air raid siren sounded again and Mrs Edna Thomas took her two children Cyril and Hilary into the pantry for safety.

When huddled together in the pantry, which was situated under the stairs of their terrace house in Hafod, Swansea - they tried to lift each others spirits - chatting about happier things. How mothers did this in the face of such worry I do not know.

Neither of the children remembered this time to be a scary one eventhough with hindsight they couldn't imagine why.

Suddenly as was usual a large noise shuddered through the house. And then another. And then another. On the third strike Hilary remembers looking at her brother Cyril, partly for his reassurance, to see something that made them all laugh.

Cyril had been sitting on the cushions his Mum had assembled,under the shelf which held the eggs. And there he was - Hilary's big brother Cyril - grinning - covered in the three remaining eggs. All yellow and laughing!

Mrs Edna Thomas must have been very upset at the loss of these eggs - they were such an important part of the weekly diet.
However she offered him a cloth.

The laughing only came to an end when, after the air raid siren had once more sounded, they returned upstairs. They discussed how the smell of burning was so strong tonight and as they came upstairs they realised that they had been hit - something had come through the roof, travelled through the ceiling and had landed on Cyril's bed, burning his bed clothes. He had been very lucky to have been in the pantry with his Mum and sister -eventhough he had egg on his face!

Cyril Thomas, my Dad died in 2005. This war memory story was told to me the week he passed - and now I send in onto you to be held on file for others to smile at.

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