大象传媒

I was eight years old in 1941 and living in Dartford, Kent. After being bombed out we moved to a semi-detached house in Chastilian Road, near Dartford Heath.

At ten years old I was in the Girl Guides. After meetings at Baldwyn's Park, Bexley, I usually got the bus home. But sometimes I got fed up with waiting so walked across Dartford Heath, about one and a third miles. I remember once doing so in the dark, then a raid started with the usual 'planes and gunfire, and shrapnel falling all round. When I reached the built up area there were no street lights of course, but the horrible smelly large paraffin burners that were lit to provide a smoke screen against the German 'planes. When the first patio heaters came out I got a shock; they were so like the wartime ones.

When I got home my mother wasn't a bit concerned.

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Helena Noifeld and has been added to the website on behalf of Valerie Martin (nee Holman) with her permission. She fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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