大象传媒

This story was submitted to the the People's War site by Stoke-on-Trent Libraries on behalf of Joyce Haynes and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

My sister Audrey and I were at college together in Essex. We came home for the holiday and the sirens sounded. We'd usually go straight into the shelter in the garden, but mother had made a wonderful meal to welcome us home. She said, "Hitler be blowed. We are going to enjoy this meal!" We all sat down and tucked in. Peace was disturbed, the air raid shelter received a direct hit! All the windows in the house were blown out, the cellar became filled with sewage. No damage to us except shock. However, I'd come home wearing a beautiful pair of silk stockings and they were laddered!! We lived across from St Mark's Church and the rector came across and insisted that we spend the night in the rectory. Our doorstep turned up two streets away in someone's garden!

A lot of people in the Shelton area went to the shelter near the rec at Tinker's Clough, near the old speedway. Father used to take it on himself to check everyone was present and correct. One lady had an artificial leg. One evening she was quite late so father went out looking for her. The reason she was late? In her haste she'd screwed her leg on back to front!
Joyce Haynes

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.