大象传媒

September 3rd 1939 was a Sunday, I being in my usual place as a chorister in church for matins. During the singing of one hymn the verger walked down the centre isle and approached the vicar and whispered into his ear. At the end of the hymn he announced that we were at war and that the service would end so as to allow us to return to our homes. On the way, the siren sounded a warning. Not that this made much impression on my brother and I, we continuing home to our parents. Nothing came of it but we later heard that it was a false alarm.
A decision had already been reached that we, as a family would stay together and my brothers and I would not be evacuated. For my part, I had already experienced the changes at school, most classes and teachers having departed to the safety of the country. This left us suffering the lack of teachers and a daily trip to school for an hour to collect home work and drink our third of a pint of milk, returning home to the freedom of playing with those who were left behind.
It was a crucial time for me, as being ten the examinations to decide my future school should have been taken. No such examination took place so I was passed on to the senior council school to do my best when the time came in the spring of 1940.

Ian Dellow

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