大象传媒

Kathleen West was aged 21 when war broke out and had been married for only 2 years. Joseph her husband was away serving in HM Navy having been 鈥渃alled up鈥� on the second day of the war. Joe was working in The Naval Yard as a shipwright when war broke out. As such he was in a reserved category, but having been in the Naval Reserves for some years meant he was called up immediately.
Kathleen wanted to help in the war and would have liked to join the Land Army. However she was already working as Manageress of a wool shop. During the war windows were blacked out. As the shop windows were steamed Kathleen put a candle in the window to get rid of the steam. However she forgot to blow out the candle and left for home. Workmen passing wanted to break the window to put out the candle but the police called the shop owner. The results of this forgetfulness 鈥� Kathleen was taken to Wallsend court and fined 拢2 which was a lot in those days. This fine was paid by the shop owner.
During this time to help with the war effort, Kathleen joined the ARP. (Air Raid Protection) These wardens patrolled the streets at night looking for incendiary bombs or LIGHTS OR CANDLES showing in windows!!
At all times the wardens carried identity cards(see picture.)They were also issued with booklets of instructions (which along with gas masks, had to be carried at all times)
These instructions were for dealing with victims of bombing or gas attacks. Luckily Kathleen did not have to deal with anyone who had been gassed. Also issued were notes on how to deal with bombs including phosphorous bombs etc.
During this time wardens patrolled usually in twos. Harry Wall was Kathleen鈥檚 partner. On one patrol they were heading for the main street, Saville Street, North Shields. Harry suddenly pushed a pregnant Kathleen into a shop doorway, she thought he was intending to 鈥渉ave his wicked way with her!鈥� However this was not the case, he was trying to save her life he had heard a bomb falling. This bomb did tremendous damage to the street and houses, killing lots of people. Uncle Fred was 鈥渂ombed out鈥� and Kathleen鈥檚 family home had the windows blown out.
Whilst this bombing was taking place Joseph鈥檚 ship 鈥淗MS VERDUN鈥� was in a convoy just outside Tynemouth/South Shields piers and could only watch what was happening. He must have felt under great stress, unable to help in any way and knowing Kathleen was pregnant and probably on patrol can not have eased his worries in any way.
Joseph luckily did survive the war despite serving on two ships which were torpedoed and sunk. (Joe was not on them at the time) and was not demobbed until Maureen the baby born in 1943 was 2 years of age. So unlike today when most Fathers are at the birth of their babies. Joe missed out on the first 2 years of Maureen鈥檚 life. Maureen was used to having mashed up parsnips and banana essence in place of fresh bananas. Joe as a treat to his newly met daughter fed her bananas which she did not like. And as he was new on the scene his lovely baby daughter kept asking 鈥渨hen is that man going away鈥� Poor Joe!!!
Although the immediate family were ok .Seven family members including cousins were killed in the 鈥淲ilkinson鈥檚 Lemonade鈥� factory (which was in King Street) bombing. Evelyn Curran (a distant relative of Kathleen) was working as a nurse when she came home from her shift it was to be told that four of her family were dead and she had no home left.
Also during the war children were evacuated from areas of potential bombing whenever possible. Kathleen had a younger sister Mary who was evacuated to Hexham .Because most people did not travel very far Hexham seemed to be at the ends of the earth to the eleven year old Mary. The family who looked after Mary had a sweet shop 鈥� which proved to be a bit of a downfall to Mary as she put on weight!
She returned home after about nine months. Quite traumatic for a child to be uprooted from the only family she knew her brothers and sisters and Father and Mother.
Florence another sister of Kathleen wanted to join the Land Army but was posted to the Army instead. She was away from home for about 4 years. Fred and Tom served throughout the war in the R.A.F. and returned home safe and well.

THE END

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