大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Ian Hayes of the 大象传媒 GMR Action Desk on behalf of Mrs M E Royle and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Sixty years ago I was eight years old. War had been declared about twelve months before but at that time it didn't mean very much other than funny Mickey Mouse masks and, best of all, school closing. The reason for this was that we were very lucky to have a swimming pool in my all girls' school, which was commandeered by the fire service, and we attended school on a part-time basis in various houses.
As time went on the war became very real, the sirens wailed and our brick air raid shelter became a family bedroom. My father was a Home Guard recruit and myself, Mum and brother slept most nights in the shelter. I remember on one occasion the door of the shelter was blown off and also our kitchen door and we were invaded by our dog and her litter of about five pups, with Mum trying to calm everybody down. One day I saw a land mine, a huge torpedo shape; how we were allowed to go near I don't remember!
These memories now seem unreal. I must add that this was in Wavertree, a suburb of Liverpool and not Ashton, where I have lived for thirty six years.

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