大象传媒

Born in 1937 l was just two years old when it all began for me, l lived just 4 miles away from castle bromwich Airfield, but l can remember clearly standing out in my back yard with friends shouting encouragement at our Spitfires and Hurricanes as they knocked lumps out of the Dorniers and Heinkles when they either went into bomb our factories or they were on the way back out.

We even had our very own Air raid Warden living next door, Mr Hobson was unfit to go into the Army, his legs were deformed after an accident, but he "did his bit" when a raid was going on he would shout at the Germans to drop the Bombs "over there, over there" waving his arms in the direction the planes had come from, to watch this man run up and down the road was a picture, in spite of his legs he could sure run.

My Mother had been told by our Doctor that l needed fresh fruit after l had been ill, l dont know how she did it, but she would find out when and where the next load was due in, l would be left with a trusted neighbour, and she would que for days on end for one orange or a banana.

My Father had, with many others, been taken of the beach at Dunkirk, he had brought his Gun home and he let me try to lift it, to me that Lee Enfield .303 felt like it weighed a ton, l never did do it, but, of course Dad did it with one finger, my Hero.

The Air Raid Warden was one person l did not get on with, (not Mr Hobson, this was a different Man) l loved to read and if l had a good book l did not want to leave and it was bed time l would take it to bed with a torch, dive under the covers and read, that man had xray vision l am sure because he would spot something from outside and up came the shout "PUT THAT BLOODY LIGHT OUT" how he knew beat me, l tried to see for myself, put the torch under the covers and went outside....l could not see a thing, as kids we would play war games of our own, picking two teams and decide who was to be who...German or English the "germans" did not like that and we always had the inevitable fight before we started the "war" for real.

Food was always short as many will remember rationing went on until the 50s with some things, my wife wouldnt believe me when l told her about it, she was born in 1950 so has no memory of that time, it was great fun all the same, as kids we had great fun, even the weather was different then, not like now, then you could bank on the summer being Summer and the seasons arrived on time.

But God help us now if the same thing happened with todays weapons, no one would survive, if there's anyone from that time who knows me please contact me, my Email is e_j_s_@lineone.net

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