大象传媒

I suppose my first memories of WW two as a child was an awareness that something very serious was about to happen. The year was nineteen thirty nine I could see the worried looks my parents exchanged when the news was broadcast on the radio, and the concerns they voiced concerning our family. I was the youngest of four children I was nine, Joan was thirteen,Arthur sixteen, and Harry eighteen. Harry the eldest was already serving in Palestine in the Queens Royal Regiment.he had signed on for twelve years in nineteen thirty eight.

I remember feeling afraid when I heard my parents discussing how the war would affect our family,They said Arthur would probably be called up depending how long the war lasted. My Father had been a Machine Gunner in the first world war and had been wounded twice so he was fearful for my brothers.
We lived in Edmonton in North London in a new council house,and were a very happy working class family.Little did we know how our lives would change in the future.

As was the way in those days children were seen and not heard,so my knowledge of what was happening was gained from what I could over hear from anybody discussing the latest news. War was declared in September nineteen thirty nine, every person had to report to a nominated centre to be fitted with a Gasmask and shown how to use it,I found it difficult to breathe but thought this was probably normal. The following weeks were saw people preparing for what was to come,some said it would not last long
others prepared for a siege. Food rationing was bought into being and everyone was issued with a book of coupons of various colours for the purchase of essential goods ie Food,Clothes,and even sweets. Each coupon represented a quantity of goods, and the food although bland was extremely nutritious. Once you had used your coupons for the week you could buy no more goods, which were the ideal conditions for the birth of the Black market.I often wondered where the spivs (Black marketeers)obtained their supplies of illegal goods,if the police caught them they were sent to prison.

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