大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Jabulani Chwaula from WM CSV Action Desk on behalf of Eva Barbara Sylvester and has been added to the site with her permission. Eva Barbara Sylvester fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

We lived at 155 Tynedale Road.

Laura and Frank were evacuated to Yoxall in Staffordshire. I was at pre-School so I stayed at Home. We had an Anderson Shelter in the back garden but it was often unusable owing to a great amount of water in it. I was put under a big oak table in the living room and made comfortable during air raids.

One night a bomb fell on the corner of Tynedale road and Olton Boulevard. It was very frightening to see this big hole where the previous day had been level ground.

I remember one night we were in the shelter and my Dad went back into the house to fetch something. I can鈥檛 remember what. A bomb fell nearby and we saw dad flying through the air as if he were doing handstands.

For quite a few years after this incident, Dads head was on his shoulder, bent right over. I can remember seeing him straight again and thinking it was a miracle.

My family and friends were worried of what would come next, so to say we were happy, that we would be wrong but still we were all in the same boat and cared about each other.

Mr and Mrs Riley, Mr and Mrs Davis, Mr and Mrs Guice, Mr and Mrs Diosmouger and June. Also Mr and Mrs Cook, Mr and Mrs Middletos, Mr and Mrs Brown, Jimmy and the other children. Mr and Mrs Molode, Jimmy, John, the Price family and the Kirby family.

Although we were rationed, I can鈥檛 remember feeling deprived. Suppose I was too young to remember what it was like before the war. I think we didn鈥檛 expect too much and we were grateful for anything and everything we got to eat.

I am 69 now, still in touch with my school friends and very grateful for a loving family and a good education.

I still scrape all the butter off a half pound paper wrapper Just as my mum did.

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