Lisburn Exiles Forum

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Re: Blitz Square Belfast

I remember my family talking about look-out posts on the roofs of Hilden mill, they were manned by employees who were glad to earn a few extra shillings. When my mother died in August 1849 and we cleared the house at Lisnatrunk to go live with our Granmother in Hilden Mill Street a childrens gas protection device and gas masks were thrown out. The childrens, which was for me, born 1944 was a cradle with a zip for opening and closing it to place the child inside and those outside pressed a pump which drove air into it. My father told me that it was a terrible fear of my mother that those outside if they died from gas or explosions that I would have died from lack of air if no one pressed the pump.
I seem to remember hearing that kids gas masks were issued for older kids with had a Mickey Mouse face to encourage them to wear them.
Later in the early 50s mhen the ration coupons were still in use I had to go to the shop for sugar or tobacco with them. I heard that Germany despite loosing disposed of coupons earlier.
Smuggling tobacco, butter and sugar across from Omeath to Warrenpoint on the boats was a regular thing then with the Customs Officers waiting on the shore to search those arriving.
donald