Back in the 80s, I was on attachment to All Saints Hospital, psychogeriatric unit. We had an elderly lady, possibly 80 years old, who never spoke, but just knitted all day long. One day, it was quiet and I was having a Coffee with the nurses, and this lady put down her knitting and spoke.. (I've tried to remember what she said, I'm sure there was more)
"I remember the Zeppelin Raid on B'ham" she said, "I was only young, it was the evening, and my Dad came into our bedroom and told us to look out of the window. We all looked and saw this huge silver thing which made a noise like lots of cars. It was over us for ages then it flew off. We heard that it was shot down over Daventry."
I believe she lived not far from the WBA ground at the top of Handsworth.
Another lady then spoke of the WW II disaster where an air raid shelter was hit in Handsworth. These normally quiet, elderly people were a treasure trove of memories, it was so sad that they lived locked away in their own minds.