大象传媒

I was 3 when the war started so much of what happened didn't seem real at times. We were lucky in Yardley and didn't get much bombing-the factories were nearer town !
My dad didn't reckon much on shelters so during the air raids I was placed under the oak dining table and sometimes in the pantry under the stairs.
I attended a small private school in the road behind us-Rowlands road-from the age of 4. One night the planes jettisoned their oil bombs over the playing fields there and the head of my school was caught in it. Apparently he thought the All Clear had sounded, stuck his head out and had it blown off. Then I was sent to the local Council School at age 6.
Life seemed pretty normal really. I never ever felt hungry but I suspect this might have been because my mother went without. Looking back now I think housewives were marvellous in those days what with rationing and little money. Dad was an engineer and was not accepted for the forces because of asthma.
One memory is vivid though, we lived on the Coventry Road A45 and dad worked there at Nuffield's I think. He got me up one night and carried me to the front bay window where we could see a huge sky of flames. Next day I was told it was Coventry and dad came home with a doll's house from the toy shop that had been ruined! Ironic really!
Another vivid memory was pictures later in 1945 of the prisoners in Belsen etc, I can still see them in my mind.
As I say life was normal to someone who'd never known anything different. My parents had the opportunity to send me to relatives in America but Mom remembered the Luisitania in WW1. As a much wanted adopted child I was to take my chances with Mom and Dad.

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