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This story was submitted to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ People’s War site by Wymondham Learning Centre on behalf of the author who fully understand the site's terms and conditions.

At the beginning of the war I was 27 years old and I was living in Norwich with mum and dad. I had three brothers — Arthur, who is still alive, and the twins, Ken and Sid.

I worked at Woolworths, but one night it was bombed and I had to look for another job.

We went to the shelter one night during a raid and the houses on the Angel Road estate took a direct hit. The blast came through the shelter and killed my mother. She died beside me. What happened next is a blank. I know that the wardens helped to get us out of the shelter and then we went to stay with my aunt in Wroxham. Dad was not strong but I eventually returned to our council house with him and one of my brothers.

I had a daughter who was born on the 19th July 1944 (the day before my own birthday) and I needed a job where I could look after her. I advertised for a housekeeping job and went to work for a man who had lost his wife. I eventually married him and we remained married for 43 years.

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