While our home may not be graced with veterans, the halls echo with poignant memories shared by our residents. Ruby, a storyteller of times gone by, reminisced about her childhood on the edge of an RAF camp at North Cotes. Her father, a warden, diligently patrolled the village during air raids, ensuring curtains were drawn and lights extinguished. Ruby vividly recalled the routine of walking to school with a gas mask, undergoing checks by a van to ensure swift and correct usage. As she counted planes taking off and landing, the bittersweet reality struck when not all returned.
Her tales unfolded to recount a bomb dropping at Tetney Lock, with the military swiftly responding. Sheila, another resident, chimed in with her own memory of a bomb near her childhood home in Leeds. Ruby, ever the observer, shared how she interacted with serving soldiers, watching them set up camp. Trenches were dug in her garden, and as sirens wailed, soldiers would take cover, guns aimed at the sky. Nearby farms provided bomb shelters, and Ruby sought refuge there during uncertain times.
Ralph, though called up, never served due to the crucial need for his agricultural skills. Instead, he worked on a local farm, tending to shire horses that worked the land. Jean contributed to the war effort by working in a factory manufacturing wireless radios, addressing the high demand for these essential devices.
In honor of all fallen soldiers, Janet embarked on a weeks-long endeavor, knitting poppies that now adorn our spaces. These beautiful symbols of remembrance are available for donation at the front desk, a touching tribute to the resilience and sacrifices woven into the fabric of our shared history.
