Thread by @NaomiClifford

"It was quite cool and dull after breakfast. I slept all the afternoon. Went over to the Ambulance Station and we had tea. Wrote letters & went to church at Chelsea Old Church." - June S, 8 Sep 1940.
From diary of a #Chelsea volunteer ambulance driver.
THREAD
#londonhistory

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"Coming back there was a lovely sky and against it coming over the bridge a line of great guns on carriers and lorries, which seemed a sudden reminder and broke into a peaceful interlude.

"Went over to [Belgrave] Square [French Red Cross] to sew and the sirens went. Ann arrived with a girl she had found with no shelter. We drank coffee and talked until I went off at 11 o’clock.

"The guns were hard at it by then and bombs could be heard in the distance. I was in the office all night with Briggs and Roberts. The bombs continued until we were almost used to it.

"We would say to each other ‘here it comes’ and would listen to the whining whizz which sounded like it was for us every time. Until one which was even nearer and we clung to the walls as everything shook and heaved.

"The office being a thin wooden building built into one corner of the garage which has glass roofs. It seemed several moments that time of the whistling rush growing to a deafening rush before the crash.

"I hopped out of the garage door (expecting to see nothing but ruin) and saw flames and smoke rising from Paultons Square. 2 ambulances went out, one to Beaufort Street and two cars. The planes continued to drone. 2 people disobeyed an order and were dismissed on the spot.



"A gas main had been hit in the square and the flames were very high, making a wonderful splash of colours. Nobody was hurt. In Beaufort Street a shelter had had a direct hit. Between 70 and 80 were killed but 35 were alive.

"Daphne Catt and Irene Briggs took them to hospital.
In the office I made quite 80 cups of tea I should think during the night. There was no gas or water and many homeless were undressing in the streets. In the early dawn I went up to Beaufort St with Brenda to take refreshment.

"They were being wonderful especially the demolition party who were working like mad without turning a hair, pulling out bits of bodies, taking them in bunches in the blankets and leading the ambulances to go to the mortuary.

"I dashed along to 97 Cheyne Walk and found no windows and the roof looking rather bald! It was a line of workers all in good spirits picking out remaining bits of glass and sucking up water which had filled the cellar and ground floor.

"The dinghy in the front lawn was very nearly launched! The sun was rising. There was a huge crater at the gate of 100 Cheyne Walk. I went back to continue making tea in the office. More people came to relieve us and I came off duty.

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