AS the anniversary of the Coventry Blitz approaches, an extraordinary woman who lived through the darkest moment in the city’s recent history is looking to share her story as she strives to continue to help today’s disadvantaged young people.
Mabel Hewitt, 94, was 11 on November 14, 1940, when she had to take shelter underground with her mother and sisters as the bombs rained down.
Her book ‘Mabel’s War: Love and Hope Beyond the Blitz’, gives an account of that fateful night and the years that followed.
All the royalties from the book will go to Mabel’s Enterprise to fund school trips for youngsters at Washwood Heath Academy, the largest school in a Birmingham ward where 57 per cent of children live in poverty.
Through sales of the children’s book series ‘The Tingalings’, Mabel has donated over £10,000 to the school to fund trips for over 1,000 youngsters.
However, the book sales of ‘Mabel’s War’ haven’t yet reached the point where the enterprise can begin receiving royalties, and therefore it has had to pause the donations for the school trips.
The Coventry Blitz was the single most concentrated attack on a British city in the Second World War, with the official death toll being 554, although with many unaccounted for the figure is likely to be much higher.
Mabel told the Observer: “I just can’t tell you how horrific it was during that time.
“Food was rationed and I remember my mum telling me one evening we were eating all the rations that night – I knew she meant she didn’t think we’d be here the next day.”
The morning after the bombing Mabel tried to go to school but wasn’t able to as the army had to come in overnight to deal with an unexploded bomb.
“I can still remember how the bombs whistled through the air, it was terrible.
“When peace was declared we had the biggest street party ever, I still remember a lad setting the gramophone up and everyone celebrating.
“There was a lot of comradery between people which kept our spirits up, we all rallied together and helped each other.
“I pray there will never be another war like it.
“Unfortunately there will never be complete peace in the world, which is such a tragedy.”
Visit thehistorypress.co.uk and search for ‘Mabel’s War’ to buy a copy of the book.
