Dad (Redvers James Rose) was born November 28, 1900. He was in the Royal Navy as a boy of 16 in World War I. Before that he was on the trawlers at 14 with his father. He served most of his life in the Merchant Navy. Owing to having a kidney removed he was not accepted in the forces in World War II. His age was also against him. He worked at the Tyne Brand factory cutting up frozen meat. When he got home he put on his ARP uniform and walked to his billets in Military Hall in Military Road in North Shields. Mum used to take him his tea in a can and something to eat. The hall was all bunk beds.
"I remember there was not a sound while the men worked..."
Redvers James Rose in ARP jacket, 22 August 1940
Dad was almost on the doorstep when the factory was bombed. We heard the blast it was so close and lost a few windows. My cousins lived in Queen Street. Three young boys around 11 to 14. Dad worked non-stop looking for bodies hoping against hope our cousins had survived. Dad found Alexander (we called him Sandy) sitting up with not a mark on him (Alexander Frankland: MN 69). My other two cousins had head injuries. They lived to have a family but did not live a long life. The surname was Frankland.
Georgina Rose:1945
I remember there was not a sound while the men worked. All us relations were cordoned off just waiting for loved ones. They were brought our with a grey blanket over them. My husband's aunt, Mrs Goodwill, lost 2 sons and her husband. She was injured and lost an ear. That was common, one survivor out of a family. All bodies were taken down to the low sands to what we called them days, the 'dead house' and washed. It was all very sad
[Mrs Georgina Frazer nee Rose, interviewed 2000]