大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Barbara Coombs, and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

My dad was a ARP Warden (Air Raid Precaution)in Smedley,Collinhurst.

He used to go round when the sirens would go off, to look if there was any light showing from the windows and had to knock at the door, tell them to put it out and advise them to get black material.

I was 4/5 years old and used to walk behind him with a little torch. I used to flash up above to look for the enemy, I remember being told off for it.

My grandma used to run a brick built building in Blakeley, if any bombs hit, you could go there.Air Raid Wardens would go there, she had biscuits in a tin and I used to like going there.

I used to go to school, Collinghurst Municipal, it had a corrugated iron roof. When the sirens went we would be taken to the cellars and I still remember the smell. We would be given biscuits and would sing songs.

We had an Anderson shelter that had a double bed under a metal cage and roof. My mum fixed curtains accross it so it looked like a stage. We used to put on shows for a penny and sell lemonade. When the sirens went, all, the audience as well would dive
under the bed.

It was quite nice being a child in the war.

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