JACKIE, 90, SHARES HER WARTIME MEMORIES

A 90 year-old resident at Chestnut Lodge shared touching memories with staff and friends as part of the celebrations held at the nursing home to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

Jackie Henton described hiding in an air raid shelter near her home in Biggin Hill, South London.

She said: “My dad made the door with ply wood, nailing lots of sheets together to make the door thicker.

“Then he cut a small letterbox hole in it and I used to watch the British planes flying above us.

“When we were allowed outside, I saw the German bombers flying above and we had to jump over neighbours’ fences to escape.

“They flew so low that I could actually see the German airmen in the cockpit and they fired on anybody they could spot, including children.”

The military base at Biggin Hill was a prime target for enemy bombers and is famous for its role in the Battle of Britain as a fighter station. It was attacked twelve times between August 1940 and January 1941.

Jackie also remembered seeing the King and Queen walking down Biggin Hill many times and described how happy people always were to see them.

And she also remembered the sadness when friends or neighbours were notified about their loved ones being killed.

Residents shared laughter and tears during reminiscence activities, and also enjoyed accompanying visiting singer Jan McNeil with her rendition of wartime songs in the home’s red-white-and-blue-decorated lounge.