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This story was submitted to the people war Website by a volunteer from Tiverton Museum of Mid Devon Life on behalf of Mrs Enid Williams.

MRS ENID WILLIAMS

The war was declared 3rd September 1939. We were sat in a church service in Fore Street, Exeter, when one of our Church Leaders stood up and announced the sad news that Britain was at war with Germany,

We were all encouraged to dig for Victory and as we had a good garden my parents did their best to do this. We also kept some chickens to supply eggs for our family of seven. Food was rationed and we were issued with gas masks, Identity Cards and Ration Books, clothing coupons were also issued, and ones for furniture too.

I was 14 years old when the War was declared and had left school in July. We lived on the Danes Castle water works premises, next to the Exeter Fire Brigade property, a large reservoir was on the other wide of our home, and further along the road was the Higher Barracks where a large number of men were trained as soldiers, having done their initial training. They would leave the Barracks and march along Howell Road carrying kitbags, guns and bayonets, etc. on their way to St. David鈥檚 Station.

They were singing as they marched on their way to the Front. Soldiers were also put on sentry duty at our gates and if we went out somewhere in the evening when one returned the Sentry would call 鈥淗alt who goes there?鈥� Another memory is the blackout, all windows had to be covered at night with curtains that no light could penetrate, there were Wardens on patrol to check that no chinks of light were showing anywhere, one could be fined if the rules were not complied with.

The air raids were the most alarming things which occurred, although not very frequent in Exeter and surroundings. One Thursday evening in April 1942 my Father and I had gone up onto the top of the reservoir and were looking out over the City where a long row of flares was dropped by German planes right along the Haldon hills, and lit up the city. With the same the sirens started wailing. We hurried indoors . My father had to go down to the office in the yard on duty in case of fires. We got under our large kitchen table which was pushed against the wall under the stairs. The St Thomas area was bombed that night. The following night a much heavier bombing took place which devastated large parts of Exeter. A little over a week later about 2 a.m. on the Monday morning sirens sounded again. We again took shelter under the table. Mother, brother, 3 sisters and myself, 6 of us, Dad as on duty. This was our most frightening experience. My dear Mother got us singing 鈥淕od is still on the Throne an He will remember His own, also encouraging choruses. 5 bombs were dropped on the reservoir (2 exploded & 3 time bombs).

The blast from the bombs which exploded blew the side of our home down, the windows where we were disappeared with the large wooden shutters which covered them, the doors blew through 2 rooms into the fireplace of the room we were in, the coats which had been hanging on the outer door were up the chimney, ceilings were all down and plaster and parts of inside walls. Also the baby gosling which had been given to one of my sisters the previous week was in a cardboard box near our feet and was unharmed. My Mother had a small bruise on her leg. We all escaped any other physical injury. When we climbed out over the rubble after the sirens had given the all clear a text was lying on top of it which had fallen off our kitchen wall it said 鈥淜ept by the Power of God鈥�. We had so much to be thankful for.

Some of our Father鈥檚 workmates had not been so fortunate, one of them had been back to his home and found it had been struck, his wife and 5 day old baby daughter and the nurse who was with them, were all under the rubble. He wasn鈥檛 allowed to stay there because of time bombs, it was terribly distressing.

The City had numerous fires, my Father had to try and find the hydrants to supply the Fire Brigade with water need to deal with the fires, so much damage had occurred to water supplies, etc. We made our way to some friends nearby where my younger sisters were given some articles of clothing as they were in their night clothes, hadn鈥檛 been there long when we all had to leave that area as there were time bombs in behind those houses. We all went to some other houses in Howell Road near the Fire Station. One of the residents was outside and called us to come in with them, she kindly made hot drinks for us all. We felt so grateful to them. The raid had lasted a couple of hours or thereabouts. There were other single plane incidents when bombs were dropped. I remember 2 where sirens sounded the warning after action had taken place.

Petrol was also rationed, so bicycles were very useful, if one went out at night with a cycle the front light could only show three small slits of light and they had to be hooded, but we learnt to cope with it. Also no street lights unless the moon or stars were bright it could be very dark.

Another memory I must mention is regarding a Mr and Mrs Johnson, who had an orphanage in France, when the German army invaded France they managed to escape with the children and came to England, where they eventually were able to get a residence in Silverton which could accommodate them and the 20 plus children. They held services (Christian) at the home while they were here. Many people enjoyed these get-togethers, the residence was Livingshayes. There were also evacuees from London who came hee.

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