大象传媒

This story was contributed by Anthony Oxley

I was born in 1936, so I was only little when war broke out.

I remember running next door to their shelter when the sirens went. The neighbour was a bricklayer, a Mr Potts, so he he build his own brick shelter. There were beds in there. We sat round and talked and waited for the all clear. My mother has flasks of tea made up ready in case the sirens went. My father was a miner, so he wasn't always there.

My mother told me that on one occasion we were to frightened to go outside, so we hid in the recess under the stairs, and I told her not to worry, I'd take care of her.

I remember seeing the aircraft caught in the searchlights. Being only 5, I thought that if the aircraft were caught in the searchlights they'd slide down them!

I went every Sunday with my father to my grandmother Oxleys. One time, as we were leaving there was an incendiary. The local school was all on fire. We didn't dare leave and had to stay the night.

After the war, when the blackout finished, I went up the hill to where I could see all over Sheffield. I could see all the lights - it was amazing - I'd never seen it like that.

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