"We were playing a game by the railroad track on the hillside, we had to hop up the hill, we each took our turn. I was hopping and then there was a flash - a very bright light - and I thought there was a bang but my ears hurt and I could not tell. It was frightening and my friends ran away and I ran after them.
But I fell over which made me more scared and I got up very quickly and then fell over.....and I slipped down the hill and I could hear my friends shouting and there was a strange smell and I started crying, I wanted my Mother because I couldn't get up and run away or even sit up properly.
Then I saw that something was wrong with my leg - it was twisted and very dirty and I saw it was bleeding - then I forget. When I woke up my face was wet, my mother was holding me very close and her tears were dropping on me. She said "Don't worry - you will be alright", I hurt a lot but I was happy then".
A small girl once explained patiently to Rae McGrath,
the moments following her crippling by a mine.
"We were playing a game by the railroad track on the hillside, we had to hop up the hill, we each took our turn. I was hopping and then there was a flash - a very bright light - and I thought there was a bang but my ears hurt and I could not tell. It was frightening and my friends ran away and I ran after them.