South East London
The Battle of Britain RAF fighting Luftwaffe in our skies over Britain.
Peter Ricketts a resident of Erith for 81 years giving his account seen through his own eyes as a child!
A true advent told by Peter Ricketts who lived in Erith South East London, the direct flight path that Germans took heading towards London
A beautiful sunny day in the summer of 1940.
I was 6 years old lunch in left hand holding on to my older brother's bag with my other hand as we walked to school.
Heart standing still!
The deep roar!
Looking to the sky in the distance a shiny object approaching, not sure what is was. I turned and looking at my brothers face he was 3 years older, bemused astonished what is it? As all eyes focus to the sky. Seeing bright sparks flashes coming from this object, hitting the cobbles next to me ricochet hitting the brick walls leaving indents.
It was now obvious it was a plane in fact a German plane (Luftwaffe) emptying his payload on us boys walking to school that fine sunny day.
As quick as a flash my older brother grabbed my hand and hurled me over a wall landing on my arm I felt my brother land on me screaming, he had been hit. Raising my head above the brick wall to see young boys scrambling around trying to dodge the array of bullets as the plane was spitting out on the cobbled street.
So low the German plane I can still see the pilot, finishing his job lifting the plane's nose heading back up into the sky leaving utter devastation behind.
Young children on the way to school been used as target practice for a German pilot.
My brother was hit in the leg and a bullet lodged in his calf muscle, he was lucky.
Memoirs of Peter Ricketts: Children of the blitz
Author Lee A Ricketts (DBA)
Present Day
Looking toward London standing at the Top of shooters hill I see Canary Wharf modern structures dominate the skyline built on the isles of Dogs the East End of London it's hard to imagine seeing dogfights in our skies.
The generation of our fathers and grandfathers should never be forgotten; the tales and advent that took place Children of the Blitz must be recorded and preserved for generations to come.