大象传媒

I was just 12 in May 1945. I was living with my family in 15 Querns Road, Canterbury. I鈥檇 heard rumours because of D-Day and that sort of thing, we鈥檇 seen the aircraft going over in daylight. They said the war was coming to the end. It was rumoured with the mums and dads. Hitler had been over run in the early part of May. They didn鈥檛 mention he had been killed until later.

All us kids started building a bonfire. On one of the bombsites in 17, 18, and 19 Querns Road. They鈥檇 knocked all the houses down. It was just the footings left. When VE Day was called on 8th may, all the tables, chairs, you name it, was pulled out of the houses and there was a big street party. Then in the evening we set fire to this big fire we鈥檇 built. Then the music started playing. We were dancing round the fire most of the nigh us kids. It burned for three or four days. The stuff that was thrown on there; if it would burn, it was thrown on; rubbish, doors, chairs, trees, bushes. We cut bushes down from the army training area at the old park. There was no soldiers to stop you.

I felt cheerful and happy that it was all over. We wouldn鈥檛 hear any bombs or shells.

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War Site by Helena Noifeld of 大象传媒 Radio Kent and has been added to the website on behalf of Peter Hill with his permission and he fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

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