大象传媒

I remember the days of the Second World War, on the home front. Where food was rationed so many ounces per person per house. Such as butter, margarine, sugar, bacon, etc.
There were no fresh eggs, only egg powder. Bread, clothing, sweets etc., were on coupons, so many per person.

Summer time the clocks were put forward 2 hours so it was still daylight at 12 o'clock in the night, which made it dark in the mornings, especially when children had to get to school.

There was not a light to be seen, everything had to be blacked out. One would be fined if they showed any light from windows, etc.

Children wore white patches on their clothes for vehicles to see them.

When the enemy was approaching the sirens sounded, the colliery shut down and we all had to go to the air-raid shelter.

We had to carry our gas masks everywhere we went. The German planes flew over every night. We got used to them by their drone. When this happened a team of us would stand by with stirrup pumps until the all clear sounded. We also had training at firing stenguns when in the Home Guard. We had loads of evacuees from Sheerness billeted in people's homes. They had the impression that the people in Wales lived in sheds and caves. What a surprise they had especially their parents. With them came their teacher, Mr Langly. I met him at the YMCA at Gilfach. He was a good pianist and I played the drums with him for dancing. The manager of the YMCA was Mr Harold Preece. He organised the pantomimes. The children took part in the show as dancers. They loved it. Some of them did not want to go back home after the war finished.

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