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This story was e-mailed by Michael to the Southern Counties team.

"I was five years old and lived with my parents and sister in Brighton where my father's Regiment was stationed in Preston Barracks. He was sent with the Regiment to Belgium in 1939, and evacuated from Dunkerque in 1940.
My mother learnt of his escape and we went to Kent to be with him. Whilst there he was informed that Brighton had been bombed and as well as Preston Barracks, our house had a Land Mine just outside. We went by train and saw the bomb damage at Preston Barracks.

Arriving at our house we were allowed to pass the Police cordon to our house where, between the gates, a large hole had been dug at the bottom of which sat two "Sappers" having mugs of tea while seated on the Land Mine - which they had defused! It was grey and gave the appearence of a large, cylindrical, hot water tank.

My father decided our belongings were at risk so he had them crated up and moved to storage in Portsmouth. Several months later, when my Father's Regiment of Mobile Light Anti - aircraft Bofors guns were sited on Portsdown Hill, above Portsmouth, we were to witness the destruction of the Warehouses and all of our belongings during an air - raid which his guns were unable to prevent.

After the war ended we discovered that our house in Brighton never suffered any damage and our possessions would have been safe had they remained there!"

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