The Exeter Blitz Author:David Rees On top of the Exeter Cathedral when a Nazi bombing raid begins, 14-year-old Colin Lockwood survives the attack and searches for the rest of his family. — It was the night of May 3-4, 1942, and the Lockwoods were scattered all over Exeter. Colin's mother was at the dress shop where she worked. Mary and her boyfriend Lars were at the cinema. June a... more »nd Mr. Lockwood were at home. And Colin was in the tower of the city's historic cathedral. Wherever they were, they could hear the sirens start, and they knew what that meant...
But this air raid was like no bombing before. Bombs fell like rain, bursting apart houses and shops and streets, followed by incendiary shells. Soon the city was engulfed by a fire storm, and the low-flying planes machine-gunned rescue workers and everyone else. Only the ancient medieval cathedral went relatively unscathed.
As morning dawned, bringing the all-clear, the Lock woods emerged, each from the place where he had taken shelter, and looked about, checking to see who had survived. Their house was in ruins, their lives had been changed, but as each face reappeared, they knew that they had much to be thankful for.« less