Eileen Banks, front row first left, in the Women's Auxillary Air Force
The neighbour of a woman whose lucky escape during the Blitz in Lewisham spurred her to join the air force is appealing to News Shopper
readers to help in his quest for more details on the incident. CLAIRE BURKE reports.
AS THE ear-splitting blare of the siren started up, Eileen Banks joined the crowds of people making their way to the air raid shelter.
It was 1940 and the Blitz - a period of intense bombing of London and other cities by Nazi Germany during the Second World War - had begun. But when Mrs Banks arrived at the shelter, near Lewisham train station, it was full.
In a bid to escape the German bombers, she and her friend took refuge next to a nearby wall.
Yet, in a twist of fate, a bomb fell
directly onto the shelter, blasting it apart and killing many of the people inside.
Mrs Banks, whose maiden name was May and who lived in Catford, and her friend escaped
unharmed.
"She was lucky," said Mrs Bank's friend and neighbour Malcolm Tremlett. "She said it was terrible, the two of them were trying to help the others."
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Mr Tremlett, who lives close to Mrs Banks in Heckington, Lincolnshire, only has sketchy details about the event and is trying to find out more information.
He approached Lewisham Council but they don't have any records about it, so he is appealing to News Shopper readers for help.
Mrs Banks is rewarded by the RAF for her services on her 90th
"We would like a few more details about what happened," said the 76-year-old retired builder.
"I'm trying to find out the story. Whether it was kept out of the press
because of bad publicity, I don't know."
Mrs Banks, now a 92-year-old widow, was returning home from work when the sirens went off.
"The train stopped," said Mr Tremlett. "People got off the train and went to the shelter.
"These shelters were above ground, a brick building with a concrete roof.
"She was sheltering by this wall with a young lady and the shelter itself received a direct hit.
"They got blown about a bit."
Mr Tremlett said the tragedy spurred Mrs Banks, who worked at insurance company Liverpool Victoria, to join the Women's Auxillary Air Force (WAAF).
"When she nearly got killed she thought she would join up and give something back," he said.
The grandmother-of-three served at Bentley Priory, in Middlesex, which housed Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain.
Later Mrs Banks, whose husband John was in RAF Bomber Command and served in India, received a commission and became equipment officer for 124 Squadron of Spitfires.
"She did go out to Germany towards the end of the war," said her daughter, Margaret Collins, 59.
Afterwards she left Lewisham and settled in Shrewsbury, before later moving to Worthing.
If anyone has details about the incident or has pictures of Blitz-era Lewisham, contact News Shopper on 01689 885717 or send an email to cburke@london.newsquest.co.uk
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