大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Amanda Wilkins on behalf of Colin Wickenden with his permission. Colin fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

After I left the 大象传媒 in December 1940 I started working on the railways with my uncle who was a train driver. I started on 9th December that year when I was 16 and worked all through the war.

Trains always ran but they didn't always go where they were meant to. I started as a cleaner then became a fireman and everywhere I went I wore a tin hat and carried my gas mask.

On the day the war ended we were on a coal train coming from Erith. There were rumours the war was about to end and the driver found a Union Jack somewhere and tied it on the front of the cab.

As Churchill was making his speech we were filling up with water at Maidstone and I remember everyone felt so relieved.

I went back to Tonbridge where I was living and in the evening Hilldenborough Manor lit all the floodlights over the swimming pool and everyone was celebrating.

I lost a lot of my social life during the war because I went to work and then we spent a lot of time in the shelters.

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