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This story was submitted to the People’s War Site by Sabrina Parkar, for Three Counties Action, on behalf of Olive Herrick, and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

Being born in February 1939 about seven months before World War Two, in the tiny Hertfordshire hamlet, called Cherry Green, I can still recollect a few things that happened. Sometimes in the evenings we would stand outside and watch the searchlights. There would be great arcs in the sky. Playing outside with my sister one day we could not understand why were being told to go inside the house. Apparently Mum could hear that a doodlebug was around because it was echoing in the water tank. She eventually got us inside and then sat on the bottom of the stairs with all three of us and cuddled us. When the siren went, day or night, we all used to sit under the table or get into the cupboard under the stairs or sit on the bottom of the stairs. We would stay put until the all-clear signal went. A rocket actually landed in a field about a mile away, leaving a great crater in the field. As soon as darkness fell we had to put the shutters up at the windows. These were made of wood and were held in place by metal buttons. We still had to take these precautions even living right out in the country, three miles form the nearest town and one and a half miles from the nearest village. During the war we all had gas masks and had to take them everywhere we went, even to school. Mine was a Mickey Mouse one. I still have mine stored away in our loft and it still has the same horrible smell which reminds me of my very early trips to the dentist.
While my brother was just a baby, the man who was responsible for kitting out everyone in our area with gas masks, Tom Hummerstone, called at our house with a container, which was a dome shape, and put it on the table. He then placed baby Bob inside this and closed the lid. This was just to try it for size. My sister and I both cried; we did not like our baby brother being put in this thing. These containers were used when babies were too small for gas masks.
Every household was issued with several leaflets before and during the war. There was even a leaflet telling how and when to grown different vegetables.
There were land army girls working on the farm and also prisoners of war. While the prisoners were working they always had a guard watching them. In their spare time they used to make toys and other things for the children in the hamlet. I still have a bracelet that was made by Karl. It was made from clear Perspex inlaid with strips of orange and green. I also have a Perspex locket containing a photograph of myself as a small child that was made for me. My brother was given a toy dog. It was made from pieces of wood being held together by strips of leather at intervals along its back, which made it wriggle when pulled along. It was painted black, brown and white. We also had a hairbrush that was made from horsehair.
The prisoners also made slippers for people. Using binder twine they plaited strips and coiled them to the correct shape and then sewed strips together. Willow baskets were also made, just like the ones made by gypsies. Another toy made for us was a board shaped like a table tennis bat that had five chickens made of wood attached to the top and a piece of string hanging underneath which when pulled the chickens did a pecking motion. All these items that they made were gifts. They did not accept money; they just needed to occupy themselves in their spare time but they were grateful for things like tea and coffee in return for their gifts. They were very talented men, making something form all sorts of bits and pieces. These prisoners of war were based at Royston Barracks in huts and were transported by lorry to the farm.
Some years after the war, Karl returned to England and visited my sister.
There were there land army girls living in the hamlet. Kath and Ann lived next door to us. My sister told me that whenever the siren when they were very frightened and would always come to our house if they were at home when the siren sounded. Judy, the other land girl, lived with someone in the hamlet we called Aunt May.
During the war everyone was issued with ration books. Rationing began on 8th January 1940. Each person was allowed a specific amount of basic foods. Clothes rationing on points began in June 1941. Utility clothing was introduced, using cheap materials and the minimum amount of cloth. There were points for furniture but you were only given these if you were newly married, had been bombed out, or were having a baby. When we moved to the bigger house Mum had to apply for extra coupons for curtain material, as the curtains we had in the last house would not have covered many windows. Several food items were still rationed until three years after the war, including cooking fats, sugar, chocolates, sweets, meat eggs and cheese.
Ration books were in use and we were allocated two ounces of sweets each a week. We chose from Crunchie bars, Fry’s chocolate cream, dolly mixtures, pear drops, and aniseed balls to name a few. Many of which can still be bought today. Rationing went on for a few years after the war ended. Dried egg was used for cooking during the war years; it was a bright orange colour and was stored in a glass jar. It had a horrible smell — to me it was nothing like eggs but was very useful for cooking when our ducks were not laying eggs.
Mum had a really large box camera, which took size 120 film. These were in short supply during the war so there were no photographs of me as a baby taken at that time.
After the war all the children at Westmill School were issued with a leaflet from King George VI. I feel very proud to still have mine. On the back of this leaflet is a list of important war dates. Starting with September 1st 1939 when Germany invaded Poland to September 5th 1945 when British forces re-entered Singapore.
These are the only memories I have of World War Two and I am just grateful that we lived in the countryside and did not have to be evacuated like so many other children.

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