Molly Mitchell and the Canadian soldier

This story is from International Sevice by Kathleen Wilson. During the war Kathleen worked at the International Grocery Stores in Preston Road. On the morning of May 25, 1943, the Luftwaffe attacked Brighton in the worst bombing raid of the war. We start her tale just after the attack to the local area - the walking wounded need taking care of, but luckily, for the good of all, Molly Mitchell, the shops mangeress, reaches for the brandy...

Molly Mitchell and Kathleen Wilson

International Service

London Road Viaduct after the bombing

Brighton and Hove in Picture

Staff at the International Stores - L-R: Peter, Jean, Joan & Derek

International Service

We viewed the destruction with horrified eyes. The shop windows had imploded leaving us open to the elements. The bacon rashers, under their covering of dust, were speared with splinters of glass and nearly everything had blown free from the shelves. As I made my way to the shop door, I noticed cans of food rolling across the pavement into the gutter. Across the road, there was a gaping hole in the viaduct, and a few soldiers were emerging from the old school building. The air was still thick with dust as the rubble subsided into an ungainly heap.

Our branch of the International was licensed to sell wines and spirits, and Molly Mitchell made her way to the fixtures that held these expensive items. Amidst the carnage and destruction, it was unbelievable to find that these bottles remained intact. She sent the apprentice to the cellar to bring up some clean cups. She emphasized the word 'clean' and she removed a bottle of brandy from the shelf. The apprentice was a little reluctant to go. I am sure he thought the shop was going to collapse on top of him, but he decided to go rather than let anyone think he was scared. With the cups now assembled before her on a hastily-wiped counter, she opened the bottle and gave us all a drink, which she insisted that we all consume.

Then she went to the entrance and called to the soldiers to come across. They were a lot more shaken up than us because they had been a lot nearer to the explosion. They shambled slowly across, supporting one of their comrades who had blood pouring down his face. They were really grateful for the brandy. Then Molly Mitchell took the Canadian soldier up to her flat and gave him simple first-aid by placing a plaster over the nasty gash above his eye. The Canadian soldiers had been doing a course in the school building when the bomb came down.

One very important question remained to be asked. How was the empty bottle of brandy going to be explained away to head office? Molly Mitchell had the answer to that as, without hesitation, she promptly smashed the bottle and threw it down amongst the debris waiting to be cleared up.

Now that only authorized people could come near us, Molly Mitchell sent us all home for an early dinner break. There was nothing to be done at the moment, and it would relieve our relatives to see us all in one piece. My mother's reaction was very disappointing. All she said was, 'Why are you home so early? I haven't got your dinner ready yet.'

As a matter of interest, many years after the war was over, the Canadian soldier who had been cut over the eye, made a pilgrimage back to the shop. He looked such a different person in civilian clothes. He was very sad at not being able to see Molly Mitchell, because for years he had always remembered her kindness to him on the day of the bomb. He had now lost the sight in his eye. I could not fix up a date for him to meet her because he was leaving England later that evening.
Kathleen Wilson - International Service