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"This story was submitted to the site by the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Peoples War Team in the East Midlands with John Moodys permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions. The article was collated and written by Nicol Moody, a pupil at Mortimer Wilson School, Alfreton as part of a Peoples war Project."

I was eight years old when war was declared. I remember all the windows on the buses were painted with blue paint. All the street lights were kept switched off, all the vehicle headlights were fitted with masks so that no light could be seen from above. I remember shortly after the outbreak of war we were all given gas masks and when you had them on they used to make you sweat. They were kept in a yellow tin and you had to take them with you to the school and keep them with you at all times.

Every family was advised to have an air raid shelter in their garden — those that were brought were called Anderson shelters, but many families made their own. We had one at the bottom of the garden that was shared by the neighbours either side, so it was built to hold three families. It was dug deep into the ground and covered with timber, soil and grass. There were benches inside and places to store food and drink. It was very cold and damp inside so blankets were taken in. When the air raid siren went we all would go to the shelter and remain there until the all clear was sounded.

The school I attended was made of wood and during the war a land mine drifted across by parachute, stuck on a tree by the school, fell on the building and destroyed it — I think it happened on a Sunday so luckily it was empty. I remember that after the explosion we all had to go to school in the Duckmanton Arms Pub. There were several rooms in the pub and these were used as classrooms. Most of the parents in the village were miners and many of them became air raid wardens. Known as ARP wardens their job was to make sure that during the raid no lights were on and also to ensure people took shelter. If any gas had been used we were told the wardens would use a rattle which would indicate gas had been dropped.

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