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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Pat Oakley (volunteer) and has been added to the website on behalf of Iris O’Connel with her permission and she fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

Title :From Anderson Shelter in Peckham to the peace of Didcot

People in the story :Iris O’Connel, Lilian and George Barratt, Mr and Mrs Adlam
Location : Peckham, S.E. London, Didcot, Berks.

I was eight years old when war was declared and we were Living in Peckham, S.E. London. My first memory was how frightened I was when listening to the news on the Radio and hearing how the Germans were marching through other countries. I dreaded the thought of them arriving in Peckham! I never did find out what dad had in mind because he always promised us that the Huns would never get us.

Like others, we had an Anderson Shelter in the back garden. Mum made it quite comfortable with an old bus seat and a garden bench. A small oil lamp hung on a coat hanger. We went in the shelter when the siren blew and dashed back indoors when the all clear sounded. During the blitz we practically lived in the shelter.

My dad had been called up and served in the R.A.F. Things worsened when the house next door was bombed. Luckily we only suffered damage to windows and doors. That is when it was decided to evacuate. Because an uncle was employed at Harwell, Berks., (no idea what he did – it was secret!) it was decided that we would move to Didcot and stay with a family that was willing to take in evacuees. I shall never for get Mr and Mrs Adlam who took us in. They were brilliant. After a few months we found a house and shared it with the family so we could all be together.

In the mean time my dad had been injured and was discharged from the R.A.F. on medical grounds. When he was able he returned to Peckham and worked as a carpenter on bomb repair work. In the meantime my mum was employed at a British Restaurant (Government run restaurants for the workers) as she was a cook, and this excused her from working in munitions.

We returned to Peckham when things got quieter and we felt safer. We still consider ourselves to be fortunate in how things had been for us especially because we were able to go back home and get back to normal, when for some life would never be the same again

Iris O’Connell

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