Home Guard who helped protect post office in Blitz now battles to save it from closure

THREE-QUARTERS OF a century ago, he was part of the Home Guard who protected the post office at Lendal, five minutes’ walk from York Minster, from attack during the German Blitz.

Today, Harold Wood is attempting to save the same branch – one of the few surviving purpose-built Victorian post offices – from its own managers.

The Post Office has proposed selling off the building and moving to a branch of WH Smith.

Mr Wood, 95, has added his name to a growing list of locals protesting at the decision.

“The Luftwaffe couldn’t destroy it,” he said. “It would be sad to see the Post Office do it.”

Mr Wood was 18 when he formed part of a five-man Home Guard unit at the branch. They were armed with a rifle and five rounds of ammunition.

At 2.38am, German bombers began dropping explosive and incendiary bombs on the city.

“The incendiaries rained down with a terrific clatter as they ricocheted off roof-tops and buildings, spitting fire,” he said.

Mr Wood and his team used buckets of water and a stirrup pump to put out a fire at a shop opposite the post office.

They then rushed to do the same at the telephone exchange, which was also on fire.

Then it was back to the post office, where the regular night cleaner had appealed for help.

“Armed to the teeth with two stirrup pumps and as many buckets of water as we could carry, we followed him to the top of the building,” Mr Wood recalled.

They men dashed across rooftops putting out fires wherever they found them.

By the time the all clear sounded, 72 people were dead or dying, the Guildhall was in ruins, and 9,500 homes had been destroyed. But the post office had survived.

Mr Wood, who went on to serve in the RAF, and spent his working life as a salesman for Heinz, said he saw no reason for it to close.

“It was built as a post office, it is fit for purpose, and it is just right where it is,” he said.

A Post Office spokesman said: “We have the greatest respect to hear about Mr Wood’s efforts during the Second World War. We’d like to reassure both him and the community that our proposal to move the branch aims to ensure that these vital services remain in the city centre.”