大象传媒

In the late thirties I transferred from Junior School to the secondary stream - Crofton Park Central School in Holbeach Road Catford SE6. Each day I would walk home both at dinner time and after school finished in the afternoon traversing Rushey Green, Catford the main road between Bromley, Kent and Lewisham. On one side of Rushey Grren there were quite large garden areas, grassed with some flower beds and trees. As the decade progressed and War Clouds became more evident these areas were dug up and Air Raid shelters constructed. They were partly below ground and the excavated soil was placed over the top. Large signs were put on the Shelters and the number each could accommodate was shown. Newspapers told us of the deteriorating situation but seeing the shelters I suppose gave us a feeling that if War came everyone would be safe if they took cover. It was a great shame seeing pleasant gardens being destroyed bur we knew it wa necessary for our safety should war come. At the same time lorries could be seen delivering Anderson Shelters for erection in the gardens of homes. These were erected by the local Council. Dig a big hole about four feet deep and erect the shelter in that, putting the removed soil over the top. My Mum declined to have the Council erect the shelter so when the first siren went on 3 September 1939 it was panic stations for us to try and get the shelter erected. My brother John and I dug furiously to the required depth and how we managed to get the curved pieces in the hole and then bolt them together I will never know - but we did. Not long after erection they filled with water and all had to be tanked with concrete which was successful in keeping water out but condensation on the cold corrugated steel was always a problem. Many many nights were spent in the Shelter with a paraffin lamp for lighting. We still had gas lighting in the home

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