大象传媒

The first thing that comes to mind whenever I think of the war years is about the days when talk of evacuation was in the air. Fortunately we all had a chance to go or stay at home with our parents, my sister Edna and my younger brother Arthur decided to stay at home and so did I.

However when the threat of bombs being dropped on Manchester was becoming more of a reality, we all took our parents advice and decided to join our school friends who had already gone ahead. When the day came to leave I remember being dressed up in our best clothes, being taken to our local railway station and having tokens placed around our necks. I still have vivid memories of that day and I can see all those unhappy faces of the parents and children, with quite a lot of them in tears. I fought back the tears because I couldn鈥檛 let my younger brother see me so upset.

The destination was in the Rossendale Valley, a small place called Bloughfold in Rawtenstall. It felt like we were going a thousand miles away, in fact it was only twenty to twenty five miles away. When we arrived we were all taken to various homes of people who were to be our foster parents. I had asked not to be separated from my brother and so we had a little difficulty being placed. But eventually we were taken to an elderly couple and they agreed to look after us.

The following twelve months turned out to be one of the happiest years of my childhood. Mr and Mrs Dawson were two of the most gentle and kind people I have ever met, I still love them to this day. The pain of being away from home was eased by the fact that our parents came to see us and the peace of mind reflected in their faces when they saw the lovely home we were staying in. I didn鈥檛 see very much of my sister because she was several miles away from us. After the end of the twelve months all our friends were gradually drifting back home and so were decided we would also go back too.

Soon after arriving back home we had our first bombing raid, this was a terrifying experience. Every bomb that dropped felt as though it had landed on our house, we took shelter in the brick Air Raid Shelters that had been built in most streets. I remember that every night I prayed to God to keep us all safe. We came out of the shelter one morning to be told that one of my best friends had been killed along with his parents and brother, I felt terribly sad.

The bright days of the war were when we could use our sweet ration coupons to buy chocolate and toffee. I always used my next month鈥檚 coupons in advance. Despite all the devastation done by the bombs, people were so cheerful and helpful to one another. In some respects it was funnily enough, for a lot of people, a happy time. Part-time schooling was one of the perks, all the children used to go into the streets looking for shrapnel. Eventually the bombing ceased and, but for the rationing and the blackout restrictions, we didn鈥檛 feel that there was a war on and that thousands upon thousands of soldiers were being killed.

When the day was announced that the war was over, I remember going to Albert Square and seeing hundreds of people singing and dancing. What a fantastic day that was.

Robert Dolan.

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