大象传媒

A smell of Jeyes fluid and I am instantly transported to the deep shelter entrance, and my nightmare of descending in a cage far beneath the Underground station to a place of safety. These shelters were named after famous sea captains. Dad, Mum, and myself (aged 13yrs) were given entrance cards assigning us to the Raleigh shelter with a tunnel section and bunk numbers. Rows and rows of metal framed bunks lined these claustrophobic warrens. I occupied a top one alongside a curved concrete wall. To be enclosed with hundreds of sweating, sighing bodies after the silence of my own bedroom was alarming, and the man opposite on the top bunk was a real snorer. I flicked the paper and matchsticks at his exposed toes, all I achieved was a change of melody. Lockers set aside at tunnel entrances were always full and like nomads, we hauled our belongings back and forth for many nights until we trusted our neighbours. Even so, many items disappeared.

Too embarrassed to strip in front of strangers I wore most of my nightwear under my day clothes. To get ready for bed I would shut my eyes and hope that no one was looking as I undressed beneath the blankets. Some sections appeared jolly with accordion players and singers, but as we specifically come to sleep, I was directed to do just that. Whenever, I could I escaped to wander through other tunnels which seemed friendlier than where I was. We made temporary friends and looked out for them each evening. If any missed a night we wondered if they were still alive.

We left the deep shelter at four thirty am. to walk to our house where I could flop into a second sleep, whilst dad made his way by tram and bus to work. We often emerged during an air raid and ran through bombing and gunfire. It was a mixture of fun and fear. Fun to be sleeping away from home but there was always the fear of being entombed or wondering if when we turned the street corner, our house would be standing! It wasn鈥檛 long before I came out in itching sores again and experienced disturbed dreams.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.