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[Page] 22
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red, tended to make one jumpy. In a very
few minutes we had Mary tucked up in
Agnes, the parlour maid's bed, and had
betaken ourselves to the kitchen. I filled my
flask in case of need; took some chocolate in
my pocket, and just as I was ready to go
off to my post at the Museum the telephone
Message "Take Air-craft action" reached me
from the police. Heaving on a motor coat
I dashed out into the darkened streets, rather
nervous least the Zepps.[Zeppelins] should reach the
town before I got to cover. Luckily I managed
to catch a tram car still running through
Stockbridge and so reached the Museum
about 9.40. The elderly police-man on duty
left at 10.0 and his place was taken by a
younger man with whom I was to spend the
greater part of the night. He had started
in life as a farm servant in Fife, but ten
years ago had joined the police force &
was just attaining the highest rate of pay
38/10-, [£1.18.10] I think, for a private. We sat talking &
reading papers, & were just coming to the
conclusion that the airships were not going
to arrive when about 11.30 we heard a
distant boom. It was not definite enough

to convince us that it was a bomb explosion,
but we had not long to wait for satisfaction.
The sounds of exploding bombs seemed first
to commence to the North of us and then pass
round by East to South, at times the ex:
:plosions being alarmingly loud. We counted
each one, and after about eighteen, as far as
I remember, there was a pause and we hoped
the attack was over. But the respite was only
for ten minutes, after which the evil work began
again and we added some 8 or 10 more ex:
:plosions to our enumeration. Then all was
quiet. We sat and wondered how much of
Edinburgh lay in ruins, and were not without
a little anxiety for our wives and families
with whom we had no means of communication.
Several times after the bombing had ceased we
looked out of the door and away in the sky to
the North East saw the glare of a great fire
which we thought must be Leith docks (it really
proved to be a whisky store.) Naturally one felt
nervous as the bombardment was in progress,
especially when one heard the explosions growing
louder as if the airship was drawing nearer,
raising an unpleasant expectancy that any
moment the Museum might be struck. The
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  Transcribers who have contributed to this page.

Moira L- Moderator, Jane F Jamieson