大象传媒

Joan was born on 8th March 1943. She was a lovely baby but Carl didn't get to know she had arrived rightaway as the telegram was chasing after him. I think she was about 3 months old when he did get to know. When she was about two years old, she asked if every solider was her Daddy.

Sometime during the War, perhaps about 1944, I was taking my afternoon walk with Joan in the pram. I ususally went into Albert Park. Anyway, I was about half way down the main path when I was aware of something going on behind me. There were not many people about at the time so I turned round to see what was happening and could not believe my eyes. Coming up about level with me were the Police and behind them a very large open car were King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the late Queen Mother. They had come to inspect the Red Cross near the bandstand. There were a dew dignitaries with them too. Because it was War time everything had to be hush hush. I don't think I will ever be nearer to Royalty than I was then.

I think it would be in 1944 when they started to light the streetlamps along Linthorpe Road up again. It was a Sunday night and they looked like candles along the eoad byt all the town turned out to see the transformation. It looked wonderful.

It's funny how certain things stick in your mind. I was washing at Romney Street in the backyard, happy with my tib and soap suds, when the man next door shouted over would I go and fetch his wife as he felt ill. Well, I wasn't too pleased as her place of work was on Linthorpe Road. Anyway, I went byt the boss wouldn't let her come back with me so I cam back and was collecting the steps to talk to him over the wall, which we all used to do, when he shouted "don't look over the wall, I've cut my throat" I got such a fright I said "You dizzy daft so and so, what did you do a stupid trick like that for?"

I asked him to open the door and myself and another neighbour went in. I put a towel round his neck as that was all I could find, then called an Ambulance. I can't remember if I finished the washing or not.

Sadly, Mother died of a heart attack about a week after Colin came home from the War. It almost seemed as if she'd waited to see him home safely.

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