大象传媒

My memories of World War 2 from the age of 10 are:-
September 1939 -
Listening to our Echo radio with all the family when war broke out. Getting used to the sound of the air raid sirens and reading Beano and Dandy down the trenches at school. The relief of the "all clear".
Being on a swing when someone shouted out "The Germans are in France!" Carrying a gas mask every day in a Rexine case.
Situated in the second line of defence we sometimes has "dog-fights" overhead.
A land mine went clean down a manhole at the top of our road which saved us from a lot of the blast.
Blast walls were built across the front of some houses and windows were criss crossed with wide selotape. One of our key workers didn't arrive when a bomb hit London on her way to work.
All our young men were away but there were Polish, Canadian and later Italian soldiers camped nearby.
I saw London all aglow from my bedroom window. Food was rationed but babies were healthy, fed on cod liver oil and orange juice. "Spivs" dressed in long coats with wide shoulders and trilby hats traded goods on the "Black Market". Petrol was for the priviledged few, there weren't many private cars about.
There were clothes coupons and utility styles cut to the minimum. Siren suits were worn by girls in munitions factories and hair had to be safely rolled up.
I remember the German aircraft sounding different and our searchlights waving from left to right across the sky. Barrage balloons were on Peckham Rye.
Buzz bombs made an eerie silence before the big bang!
We had a Morrison shelter which we also used as a table. Entertainers, Vera Lynn, Gracie Fields, George Formby, Tommy Trinder to name a few, kept us cheerful and our bands kept playing.
Jubilation on VE day, bonfires in the town, blackout curtains taken down, street party celebrations.
Then VJ day and men walking about in grey and white striped demob suits everywhere.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.