大象传媒

I was born in 1938 and so my earliest memories were formed during the Second World War.

Birmingham was the scene of much activity. I remember being carried down to the air raid shelter which was dug underground in the garden. I had two older brothers and we all slept in the shelter during air raid attacks. My mother used to sleep there with us and my father was an Air Raid Warden, the meeting place for other Wardens was in the street outside our house which was in a quiet suburb of the city. They always seemed to be having a jolly time.

We had plenty of traumas though. Several houses were bombed nearby and we used to watch the searchlights in the local park beaming across the night sky. There was always noise, planes droning overhead, the sound of distant bombs, fire engines. I think my memories are vivid for someone so young because it was such an extreme experience for a youngster.

It is a tribute to my parents, however, that I never felt frightened - they protected us so well. After an air-raid we would go out into the street collecting shrapnel from the bomb casings, great shards of metal which we kept under some loose floorboards in one of the bedrooms. I wonder if it is still there!

There were many allied soldiers and airmen from the USA and Canada posted to the camps in the area. Every Christmas many of them would gather in the Town Hall and my father and uncle would invite one or two to come and spend Christmas with our family.

It was so exciting to meet these brave young men and they were thrilled to have what they would describe as a 'real English Christmas' with us. Despite many shortages we always ate and drank well and played silly games. They are some of the best Christmases I can remember. Several of these welcome visitors kept in touch with the family for many years afterwards. Sadly some of them did not survive, but we felt privileged to have known them and to have given a little comfort to them when they were so far from their own families.

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