大象传媒

What I remember most were the sirens (danger and all clear) at night or daytime. At night our family went in our hall if the sirens went. We only used the shelter in the street once when there was a heavy raid on the city, when a shoe factory was hit.

If they sounded on the way to or from school, we were told to go to the nearest house. When they went at school, where there were only lady teachers, we had to go, in pairs, to the air-raid shelters. We always used to eat our 'emergency rations' from our gas mask case then, (we seemed to carry these all the time), either some fruit cake orCBournville chocolate.

Living in the country, we were able to supplement our rations with a goat, chickens, rabbits a dozen or so fruit trees and bushes with plenty of space for vegetables. We even had ducks and tried to grow mushrooms.

Clothing coupons were more important then the price for household linen, bedding and underwear as well as outerwear.

Everyone's houses and garden fences were not in good repair as paint and wood etc. were not available and we never threw away even one rusty nail.

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Christina Cazalet of CSV Action Desk Leicester on behalf of Kathleen Barston and has been added with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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