大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Mairi Campbell of the 大象传媒 on behalf of Peggy Paterson and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

I was 8 years old and living on a farm 3 miles from Aberdeen when war was declared. On hearing the siren my mother, three sisters and myself went to a small cramped walk in cupboard under the stairs until the all clear sounded. We named that cupboard 鈥渢he black hole鈥�. Father always liked to be outside watching. I remember shaking uncontrollably until I heard the all clear and knew I was safe once more. Many times the roof of our wash house which was made from iron sheeting rattled when bombs dropped in Aberdeen. This made things all the more frightening.

Schooldays were memorable. We were allowed time out from school to collect nettle leaves, sphagnum moss and scrap metal to help the war effort. The nettle leaves were dried in a farmer鈥檚 hayloft. If the siren sounded when we were in school we had to be flat underneath our desks. Because it was a rural school there were no air raid shelters. We carried our gasmasks over our shoulders every day to school; I still have my gasmask in the attic!

During the darkness going outdoors with unshaded lights was a punishable offence. A neighbouring farmer was convicted for ding so, the second time he offended he was put in jail for a week.

Rationing was not a problem for farming people. Potatoes ,vegetables, chickens, eggs and oatmeal were plentiful. A scarcity of fruit led to queues forming in the city.

War time had its terrifying times but knowing we were collecting plants for medicinal purposes and cans for recycling made us feel we were helping the war in some small way.

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