Birmingham pub bombings: Man credits girlfriend for survival; another survivor shares ordeal

Bernie Mintz, then an 18-year-old chef in Birmingham, narrowly avoided being present during the city centre pub bombings in November 1974. On the evening of 21 November, explosions occurred at two pubs, the Mulberry Bush and the Tavern in the Town, resulting in 21 fatalities and 220 injuries. That night, Mr. Mintz, who now resides in Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, had been inclined to stop for a pint before returning home. As he reached for the door handle to enter the Tavern in the Town, he recalled his girlfriend’s request for him to come home early. He stated, “I heard my girlfriend’s voice saying ‘please come home to me tonight’. And I was guilt-ridden.” He subsequently turned around and proceeded towards the bus stop. While boarding the number 92 bus heading to Hall Green, he remembers “a horrific bang that shook the floor.” The bus driver promptly closed the doors, and he departed, unaware of the events unfolding nearby. Mr. Mintz arrived home to a distressed family who had seen news flashes on television. He commented, “They were delighted to see me.” Reflecting on the incident, Mr. Mintz remarked, “If my girlfriend hadn’t said that to me the night before, I’d have gone down for a pint and I’d be in that pub.” The couple has been married since 1981, and he credits her with “saving his life.” Diane Slater from Rugby, another Warwickshire woman, also holds memories of that night. She was 16 years old at the time of the explosions. Having recently moved to the city for work, she was enjoying newfound independence. That evening, she met friends at the Mulberry Bush, where they planned to have a drink before “heading out into town.” Just after 20:00 GMT, she recalls “a loud bang and blast of air” that caused the pub to fall silent. In the immediate aftermath of the explosion, Diane described feeling very confused before realizing “we need to get out of here.” She indicated that she did not fully comprehend the extent of her injuries until she made her way through the rubble. Diane still has a hole in her right knee, where muscle and ligament were destroyed, and all her toes on her left foot required reattachment. Despite her injuries, she said: “We were all very lucky, our wounds were superficial. Others lost their lives.” She recounted that tears came to her eyes as she relived the events of the night, and she stated that the anniversary “brings back too many things that are traumatic.” After recovering at home with her parents, Diane did not hesitate to return to Birmingham. She added, “You’ve got to live a life, you’ve got to carry on.”