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This story was submitted to the People's War site by Louise Angell of the CSV Action desk at 大象传媒 Radio Derby on behalf of Margery Clutterbuck. The author understands the sites terms and conditions.

I was 8 in 1939 and remember Neville Chamberlain saying we were at war with Germany. This meant we had an extended school holiday as they had to make preparations for war. There were no air raid shelters at that point so each child had to find a house or shelter that was only 2 minutes away from school so they could run there for safety when the siren went. I went to my mothers cousin and we had to practise to make sure we got there in time. We had national savings certificates and and my dad put a few bob away each week. There was a post office opposite the school and it was my job to go and buy the certificates from here with money collected from school from the children who could afford it. We also neede to have our gas masks fitted and I remember we went to the school hall to do this. I hated having mine on. It was horrible and I didn't think I would be able to breathe.
My grandmother lived about a mile away and we used to walk up there and if the siren went while you were there you had to stay until the all clear went. You could see the sky lit up from the bombing at Sheffield and I can remember it as if it was today.
Evacuees from Derby orphanage were evacuated to Pilsley. Mother didn't enjoy the best of health so we didn't have an evacuee but I made friends with these children and remained friends with some of them for years. A coupl stayed and married local lads and are still there to this day.
Dad was a miner so didn't have to go and fight. He was an ARP Warden so was allocated a stirrup pump and no matter how many times we tried we never got a drop of water out of it so it hung on the wall until it rusted. Being a miner, dad was also allocated an alarm clock which worked for over 50 years. There was a canteen at the pit and on friday he was able to bring home a tiny mincemeat pie which my mother and I shared. It was a real treat.I gave up sugar in tea so dad could have it in his.
When the siren went we had to find a safe place at home as advised by the radio. First of all it was under the table and then under the stairs along with dads pit clothes and a candle.
We listened to the news on the radio avidly to find out how many German planes had been shot down. Iron railings and gates were removed everywhere to help the war effort.
There were no school meals so we'd take in OXO cubes and mash them in a beaker with hot water and have it with a slice of bread for lunch. On the way home we'd often call into the greengrocers and buy a carrot, scrape the dirt off with our thumbs and eat it as there were no sweets and so made do with this instead.
When we went to senior school we had to practise for air raids by running to the shelter. To help with the war effort we'd use a wheelbarrow to collect jars, or books to send to the soldiers. We also collected string but I can't remember why. We made it into a huge ball. We also collected a mile of pennies in a special envelope towards the cost of submarines, as well as make up slogans. Mine was 'Give up playing golf and help to beat Adolph.' It didn't get first prize though! There were posters all over the place:'Walls Have Ears' or 'Careless Talk Costs Lives'. We'd also have potato picking holiday to help out on local farms. The farmers were pleased when our team turned up as we'd get on with the job. At one of the farms a German fighter plane came down. We went eagerly to see the plane.
Several bombs were dropped along the side of the railway line and one of dads workmates who lived at Tupton lost his wife when the area was bombed.
I had a doll which I gave up as a raffle prize to raise money for the Red Cross. You had to guess her name in order to win her.
Everything was in short supply. calico flour bags were washed and boiled until they were useable for curtains, tablecloths and aprons. We'd also mash parsnips and flavour them with bannana essence to make our own versions of bananas. There was no swimming or cookery classes either.

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