Royal Arsenal Memories

1/12/2014

Alan Tunbridge

12/3/2014 08:07:52 pm

In 1940, my father was an aicraftsman (carpenter) on duty at the Arsenal while my mother lived nearby in Plumstead. My elder sisters say that she used to sneak out at night and go to a hole in the security fence to rendezvous with her husband. He would raid the officer's mess and bring her a tea tray (with cake if available), and they would have a nice picnic in the blackout, sometimes watching the bombs come down. I was born in December of 1940, so I like to think I was conceived on one of those dangerously romantic nights.

John Neilan

9/19/2018 05:36:12 pm

Hi Alan
My father also worked at the Arsenal in 1940. He was a brickie by trade and they had to reline the furnaces at intervals.
The first raid was 7th September 1940 so I'm afraid a bit late for your romantic reference but he saw 58 people die that day.

Matrimony Hove link

11/2/2024 10:30:56 am

Very thoughttful blog