Do you remember Lisburn's wartime post office bomb?
A FORMER Lisburn resident, who now lives in Canada, has some treasured memories of his childhood living in Wallace Avenue.
However, Desmond McConaghy, has one memory in particular that he is hoping might ring a few bells with local people.
Mr McConaghy got in touch with the Royal British Legion in Lisburn recently to share his wartime memory and would love to hear from anyone who shares his experience.
"I was born in 1933 and for the duration of World War II lived at 45 Wallace Avenue in Lisburn, passing Sackville Street often en route to Brownlee School complete with my gas mask," he explained.
"I emigrated to Canada in 1978 and over dinner one evening was recalling various items from the war years for my Canadian friends. They listened with rapt attention until I came to one which they flatly refused to believe and thought I was making it up.
"The details as I remember are: The head post office at that time was in Railway Street, right next door to the Presbyterian Church. As one of the many efforts to promote and personalise the war effort a real bomb was placed on the floor near the counter. It would have been around 6 feet long from nose to finned tail, about 18 inches in diameter and black in colour. There might have been some choice message for Hitler painted on it! It was, of course, in a completely safe condition at this stage.
"The thought was that people could help to pay for the bomb by buying stamps specifically for that purpose. I have a vague recollection of stamps being stuck on it. I have no idea of the accounting process but that is how I recall it."
Do you remember the 'post office bomb' or, as Mr McConaghy puts it "could it all be the product of a boy's fertile imagination?" If you share Desmond's memory of wartime Lisburn contact Julie-Ann Spence at the Ulster Star on 92679111 or email julieann.spence@ulsterstar.co.uk
Ulster Star
17/07/2009
