大象传媒

I was born in Beverley and have lived here all my life. One recollection of the war is of a group of children playing in Albert Terrace where I was riding a small `mickey mouse` three wheeled trike. It was dusk and we were close to the drill-hall, now the medical centre.
I believe it was on Sunday 27 October, 1940, when a stray German plane flew very low along the Leases and shot at our little group of children. Most ran to shelter under the eaves of the drill-hall, but I ran to the centre of the street to save my bike. My sister with great courage ran out after me and dragged me into shelter.

The bullets stitched into the tarmac of the road, and another girl, Dorothy Hall who lived in Albert Terrace went to pick one up. It was very hot, and blistered her fingers. Though it was only late October I seem to recollect a fine dusting of snow at the time. I believe the plane continued over Newbegin and Wood Lane, and then went on to fire at St. Mary`s Church, and the bullet pierced the stained-glass window and lodged in the back of one of the pews, where the damage can still be seen.

When V.E. Day was announced I can remember general celebrations, everyone who had a flag hung it from their windows. There was dancing in the Market Place and the Mayor announced a grand fancy dress parade at the racecourse. My mother was determined to involve me in this and decided I would be dressed as an Indian water carrier. Our next-door neighbour loaned a large multi-coloured jug for the water carrying and my mother wrapped me round and round in a length of red cream-patterned silk. My sister was booked to colour me where it showed with brown leg colouring, which girls painted on their legs, for want of stockings. Come the day my sister was no-where to be found, so my mother in desperation mixed a bowl of `Burdall`s gravy salt` and daubed it over me, particularly over my face. It ran into my eyes and the salt stung furiously. I shed copious tears as she pushed me up to the grandstand, as I was unable to walk in this tight binding. I can remember crying and glowering and being awarded a prize of a luminous rabbit, being pushed towards the front of a long parade

Another memory is from a visit to the Picture Playhouse, one of Beverley`s three cinemas. In those days the cinema was owned by Mr. Symmonds and it was a very special place where he often wore a dinner suit and seats could be booked, all except the one on the extreme right-hand side of the front row which was permanently booked by his white Sealyham dog. A full evening`s entertainment was provided with a cartoon, a short film, often travel, and the news before the main film. The cinema was always packed with a wonderful warm atmosphere.

On this occasion which must have been shortly after V.E. Day the first news was revealed after the relief of Belsen Camp. A series of photographs came on the screen of grotesque figures dressed in striped caps and gowns like hospital gowns. They each had a number tattoed on their wrists and were all male. At first I thought they were puppets, they couldn`t possibly be human, being literally skin and bone. They then slowly turned round and with immense effort took off their gowns and stood revealed as hideous travesties of humanity. I can remember the gasp that went up from the audience, and some people left the cinema, unable to bear the unbearable. I felt as though I had taken part in a guilty secret, which soiled the whole of humanity. For the first time aged 9 I knew what the war had been about, and understood the necessity of fighting it.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.