Written by Eric Pugh from Hay-on-Wye:

"I was born in 1936 in Hay where my mother and father kept a tobacco and confectionery shop.

Some of my early memories at the shop are of the Second World War. In the early days of the war, the shop always seemed to be filled with British soldiers as they were billeted, before going to their units at the closed Crown Hotel and in High Town where the post office is now. Some of them became great friends of the family and we kept in touch with many of them throughout the years.

One in particular stands out in my memory. His name was Percy Trembeth from somewhere in South Wales. He and Dad became great friends until of course he received his posting overseas. I still have a children's book he gave me on my birthday in 1940. During the war Mum and Dad became concerned when his letters stopped and only having his service address, were unable to find out anything about him.

Eventually, after the war, in about 1946, Percy appeared in the shop. Many tears and hugs ensued, especially from Mum. Percy was hardly recognisable; the whole of the right hand side of his face had disappeared. He had been left for dead on a battlefield in Italy when American medics were checking through the dead. One of them came across Percy lying face down, turned him over and realised he was still alive.

He was rushed to an American first aid post and after many months in hospital was allowed home. He had lost all his left cheek bones and his eye and ear from that side of his face which had received the force of the blast. He was still a sick man. Mum and Dad kept in touch for a few years but of course the letters eventually stopped. I still wonder what happened to Percy.

Early in the war, Dad volunteered for the National Fire Service. He had stopped being a fireman when he and Mum married in 1934. By this time Hay Fire Station was located in Castle Street, opposite The Blue Boar. This became a little too convenient for the men on duty at the station overnight, which had become a required wartime regulation. When the Chief wasn't on duty the men used to draw straws to see who would sit by the telephone at the station in case there was a 'callout' whilst all the others went to The Blue Boar. Soon Chief Evans forbade any visits 'across the road'.

Several times Hay brigade were despatched to the outskirts of Swansea during the 'blitz' to be on standby and I remember Dad saying they could see the conflagrations in the centre of Swansea from their positions. He related how on one visit to Swansea they were assembled in a street 'standing by' and there were laid out the bodies of firemen who had been killed in the city. Hay, luckily, was not called upon to go into the city centre.

One of these nights during the 'blitz', Dad was on duty at Hay Fire Station and was the night a lone German bomber decided to either shed the remainder of his load or, as more popularly believed locally, there was a light showing at "Moonlight's" cottage up on the Black Mountain. Mother and I slept in the same room when Dad was on duty and this night, when the 'crumps' started, she flung herself and me under the bed.

Dad arrived home very early the next morning and told mother about the 'raid' on the mountain. He said he and his brother Tom were going to walk up there to see what had happened. It is all a bit hazy but I do remember what seemed most of the town of Hay trudging up Forest Road to see the spectacle.

Uncle Tom found four fins which were the remainder of the incendiary bombs which had been dropped. It had been only incendiaries, nothing bigger was ever found. I still have these fins somewhere. If only I could find them." More...

Written by Eric Pugh from Hay-on-Wye: