News of plans to mark the 80th anniversary of the Plymouth Blitz in 2021 with a series of special events led 95-year-old Charlie Trevethan to contact the Chronicle about his wartime memories.
Charlie, who was born in December 1925, lived with his parents, brother and two sisters in Rosedown Avenue, North Prospect when the Second World War broke out.
He has vivid memories of the bombing raids which wreaked death and destruction across the city in March and April 1941.
“During one of the raids me, my mum, and my brother and sisters were in our Anderson shelter in our garden when a bomb was dropped between two Anderson shelters in one of our neighbour’s front gardens killing everyone – including one of my friends.
“Debris from the bomb blast and parts of the shelter fell on to the roof of our shelter and I remember putting my hands up to stop our shelter from collapsing.”
Charlie said that his father, also called Charles, signed up as a Special Constable during the war and would be called out to attend the sites of bombings.
“That night he had gone to the workhouse in Wolseley Road where the police were stationed. He was one of only two constables on duty along with the sergeant. The sergeant had been told that a bomb had hit a house in Rosedown Avenue – and he knew that was where we lived.
“He told the other constable to attend – but my dad overheard the sergeant and said ‘My family is up there. I’m going up there.’
“By the time he got to Rosedown the raid was over, but on the way he heard someone say that all the Trevethans had been killed. I don’t know what he must have thought at the time – but luckily it wasn’t us.”
Charlie and the rest of the family had to be rehoused in nearby Laurel Road, North Prospect – only for a land mine to be dropped close by, which meant they all had to move again, this time to Dingle Road.
He remembers visiting the city centre and seeing the devastation caused during the dozens of bombing raids which left over 1,100 civilians dead and nearly 4,500 injured. He recalls the deadly attack which led to a direct hit on a communal air raid shelter in Portland Square killing 76 people.
“It was a horrifying time, but as youngsters we just got used to all the bombings. I would often go out with my friends the day after a raid and collect shrapnel from the streets,” he added.
Charlie attended North Prospect School and having passed his 11 plus went to Devonport High School for Boys – but his education was curtailed by the war.
In June 1944 he was called up and served in the Devonshires for four years, ending up in India fighting the Japanese.
Returning to Plymouth he met his wife Violet when they were both working at a local laundry company. “It was love at first sight,” said Charlie. They married in 1950 and eventually settled in Southway, where Charlie has lived for the past 63 years.
They had a daughter Jill, who became a teacher, but sadly lost a son at 10 weeks with cystic fibrosis.
He is extremely proud of his daughter and his grandchildren, Amy and Miles. Amy, who studied at the University of Oxford, was elected as a councillor in Barnet when she was just 21 and at 22 stood as a Labour candidate in the 2015 General Election, increasing the party’s vote from 12,000 to 18,000 in the Tory stronghold of Chipping Barnet. Miles studied at Cambridge University.
Charlie is looking forward to seeing them all again when lockdown restrictions are lifted completely.
Sadly, Charlie’s wife passed away in 2019 after a long illness. They were together for over 70 years and married for 68 years. Like Charlie she had also grown up in North Prospect.
Charlie spent 35 years working for Farley’s Rusks, taking early retirement at 60. A keen sportsman he played cricket for Farley’s as a fast bowler – right up to the age of 60.
The other love of Charlie’s life is Plymouth Argyle. He attended his first match at Home Park in 1931 – and has followed the club for 90 years. It may make him Argyle’s longest-serving supporter – unless someone else knows differently!
He remembers seeing the legendary Jack Leslie play as well as larger than life figures Jumbo Chisholm and Harry Cann.
“We were allowed to sit on the grass at the side of the Milehouse goal (now Devonport End) and I can remember Harry Cann so vividly,” said Charlie.
Charlie was also one of 43,596 fans who saw the Second Division match against Aston Villa in 1936. It was Argyle’s biggest-ever crowd.
Plymouth Argyle marked his loyal support on his 95th birthday presenting him with his own personalised shirt and a birthday card signed by all the first team squad.
Charlie’s story was featured in The Pilgrim – Argyle’s match day programme – as part of the Argyle Community Trust’s Tackling Loneliness Together initiative.
A member of the Argyle Community Trust team visits Charlie on a regular basis to check that he is well and presented him with a hamper at Christmas.
Charlie said:
“I’m so lucky…I live in my own home and have wonderful neighbours who can’t do enough for me.”
