From the Back Cover

Sep 1941 “The Casualties Were Small” When Winton Aerodrome was bombed The “Casualties were small” Just your son, and my son, and little widow Brown’s son, The youngest of them all. And your son was your eldest lad, Handsome and straight and tall. A model for your younger sons, Beloved by you all. And Mrs Brown’s, her youngest boy Her sole support, and stay. So like his father, all her joy Was quenched, on that dark day. And mine, my only son and pride So loved and dear to all. The blast of bombs spread far and wide Tho’ “the casualties were small”.

May Hill began to keep a Diary not long after the outbreak of the Second

World War. The strategically important East Coast area of Lincolnshire

around Skegness had been transformed from a bustling holiday centre to an

armed encampment. Butlins became ‘HMS Royal Arthur’ a huge Royal Navy

training centre, RAF air bases sprang up throughout ‘Bomber County’ and

soldiers were billeted in the villages including May’s Chapel St Leonards.

May’s son Ron volunteered for the RAF and May started to express her

thoughts and prayers in verse. The poem “The Casualties Were Small”

reveals her worst fears as his exposure to danger increased even

before being posted abroad.

As the War continued, May maintained her eloquent record of family and

village life as well as the events of the War itself – including the sad loss

of three nephews and an early hint of victory with the ‘D-Day’ landings.

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