Why I am proud to be English.

    "My word! That was a big chap!"

    I have often heard people ask how we reacted to the bombing during the war. The quote above contained in the following story, sums up the classic response shown many times during the blitz.

    This story relates to an elderly gentleman who experiencing his first air raid, and hearing bombs dropping, decided to don his bowler, take his walking stick and go out for a walk to see what was going on. He had not gone far when he met with an air-raid warden who told him he should not be out and should be in a shelter. It was at this point when a landmine floated above their heads - the warden jumped over a garden wall for cover - but our hero stood his ground and after the explosion, helped the warden back over the wall and with the words "My word! That was a big chap!" continued quite unperturbed with his tour of the 'goings on'.

    This quote is taken from a true story related in a letter which appeared in the local press in response to requests for stories on the Leicester air raid on the night of 19th November 1940. The timing suggests the parachute mine was the one which fell on Grove Road.