大象传媒

We all knew it was coming - at least my parents did. I was only 9 when it started.

Father was an R.N. reservist and he had been called up in 1938 at the time of Munich, but he was soon home again.

There were many signs of what was to come in my corner of Essex. We could hear the gunfire from the AA guns being tested at Shoeburyness and see the shells bursting high in the south-eastern sky. We watched the radio location masts being erected at
Canewdon across the river and there was much speculation as to thier purpose.

Rochford aerodrome was about 9 miles away from Burnham and Lysanders towing target drogues became a common site in the sky on their way to the Dengie flats where the
fighters practised air gunnery.

Saturday afternoons we went to the cinema, enthralled by the musicals of the 1930s.
The Gaumont British News followed showing
images of war in Spain, and strange places like The Sudetan Land and the Danzig Corridor.

Aeroplanes appeared in many reports. I had developed a keen interest in planes and collected cigarette cards of both civil and military aircraft. I became pretty good at aircraft recognition - for my age!

The news from the 大象传媒's Regional and National stations (soon to become the Home and Forces programmes), prompted mother and father to tell of their experiences during the Great War. Mother worked on the London Underground and father served in cruisers of the Home Fleet.

They told us also of the bombing raids on London where my uncle Jack, a Metropolitan Police constable, was wounded by shrapnel.

And about gas in the trenches. Everyone feared a gas attack.

We were issued with gas masks before war broke out. We had them tested in a caravan filled with tear gas. The ARP wardens took
us through a few at a time and made any adjustments necessary to ensure a good fit.
Later an additional filter was taped on.

During the school summer holiday of 1939 I went to stay with my aunt Elsie and uncle Alf at Leigh-on-Sea. Mother came with me on the ferry from Burnham to Wallasea Bay with
my bike and we met aunt Elsie there. Mother went home and aunt Elsie and I cycled to Leigh where I spent the holiday with my cousin Diana.

On that September Sunday, after breakfast we all listened to the wireless. At 11 o'clock the dreadful news came. There was fear, apprehension and confusion - but for a 9 year old it didn't last long. We had dinner and my holiday was over.

We cycled back to Wallasea Bay leaving uncle Alf to improvise the blackouts. The ferry to Burnham had been suspended so I had a lift across the river to Creeksea in a rowing boat with my bike slung across the stern, and I cycled the two miles home.

Father had been called up while I was away and he had organised our blackouts before
he went. After tea I went to bed.

I was woken by the air raid warning sounding. I could hear mother crying in her room and she sounded terribly upset. She came into our room and fell on the floor saying that they were using gas. I could smell nothing and heard no sound from outside.

I remember nothing more of that night.

So began my war!

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