THIS week we have some more memories of the Chapelhay bombing from Looking Back reader Brian Churchill.

He was born in 1932, at 36 Maycroft Road, in Chapelhay.

Brian recalls: "I well remember the dark Sunday night of November 17 1940 when the landmine fell ‘twixt Franchise and Chapelhay Streets, and the devastation it caused. "Living in Maycroft Road, we were to some extent shielded from the force of the blast, by the tall three storey buildings in St Leonards Road.

"Nevertheless, we had our windows blown in and ceilings down.

"The glass in the windows was replaced by a white opaque fabric, which was only replaced towards the wars end.

"Incidentally, properties that were damaged by enemy action were repaired by a government fund."

Brian says there is an interesting document in the Weymouth Records Office which lists the claimants for funding, their addresses and a summary of the damage to be repaired.

He added: "Spring Gardens, Oakley Place, and surrounding properties were also badly damaged by other enemy action, so much so that that the occupants were moved elsewhere in the town or out into country areas and beyond.

"That of course left most properties empty, and therefore ideal for the military to train for street fighting prior to D Day (Operation Overlord)."

As a youngster, Brian and his friends swapped items and rations left behind by the American and British soldiers from their training.

He said: "On the way home from school we would scour the empty bombed buildings for items of discarded equipment, for example, booby traps, cartridge cases, and maybe an unexploded thunderflash or grenade.

"If we were really lucky and found an American “K” Ration Pack, which often contained American Chewing Gum, well that was really something to barter with."

School life at Holy Trinity School was punctuated by closures, Brian said.

He said: "The school was at the top of Chapelhay Steps.

"Our air raid shelters were in muddy trenches off of Rodwell Avenue.

"So you can imagine the danger of a crocodile of school children walking between those two points at the sound of an air raid siren, and the relief of walking back again after the all clear.

"I am not sure they were ever used for real, but do remember a practice evacuation. The crypt of Holy Trinity Church was also used and much closer to the school.

"However, most survived and the lucky ones are still here to tell the tale. What would the Health and Safety Executive have made of it all?"