大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Louise Angell of the CSV Action Desk at 大象传媒 Radio Derby on behalf of Maurice Green. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

We lived in Rotherham. People who didn't live on our street called it the 'Happy Valley'. We were a bit rough but alright. Everyone was the same. You could leave your doors open and no-one bothered. It was so friendly. Everyone just helped each other.

The main thing I remember is putting the siren suits on which my mother made, and going into the air raid shelters, which my father had 'made posh'. He'd put asphault on the floor and we had a paraffin heater lamp. The biggest bugbear was my baby brother. Because he was only a baby, his gas mask was like a cradle. My mother had to put him in it and I think you pumped the air in.

Being the eldest I was often awake with my mother downstairs, but my brothers would have to be woken up and would start crying until they got settled down again.

My dad worked in the steel works. he'd work for 12 hours there then go to the fire station as he was in the fire service, so I didn't see much of him during the war. I was scared of him as my mum would always say if I'd done something wrong she'd tell my dad. I didn't want him getting a belt out! Although he never hit me, I was scared of him.

I remember the Blitz and when they bombed Sheffield. When we all went outside we could see the red glow in the sky.

The only bombs we had in Rotherham were during the holiday period late on in the war, about 1944. We used to have holidays at home as we couldn't afford to go anywhere like Scarborough. The day was showery so the local park wasn't full but there were marquees there. The Germans probably thought it was an army establishment and dropped a string of bombs which knocked out half the high school and a couple of houses. The only person injured I think, was a sergeant major in the Home Guard. It was his house they hit. He ended up with a broken arm.

To us as 7 year olds it was comic book stuff. We didn't really realise what was happenning. We seemed to get enough to eat. we were never hungry. My mother kept chickens so we were alright for eggs and we used to barter. People who used sugar a lot bartered with people who liked tea.

I can remember having a map in my bedroom and used to listen to the 大象传媒 at 9 at night. After DDay I used to put flags on the map. I couldn't do it before 'cause we were always going backwards but after DDay we advanced through Europe. As all boys do were were all soldiers. We were Montgomery and people like that. No-one wanted to be a German.

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