大象传媒

It was September,1939 and I remember having the wireless on and hearing that war had been declared.
My parents had talked about it for days but when the announcement was made I was full of fear.
A few days later I woke to find my father struggling to lift me from my bed and there was this awful wailing sound which filled me with dread. Dad said it was the siren and that it was a warning. We had to leave the house.
Mum had my 2 and half year old sister bundled up in her arms and we got out of the house and went to stand in a nearby field.
Nothing happened and we were soon back in bed after another wailing sound said it was 'All Clear'
I was told Dad was going to be a soldier and was going to leave us. I don't remember going to see him off. He just seemed to 'go'
I remember we got some kind of coupon which enabled us to go and buy some food - probably to tide us over until Dad's allowance book came through.
My sister and I had always received a Saturday penny which we spent on sweets. Now Dad was able to make us an allowance and we got a 3d postal order every week.
In the New Year of 1940 it was decided that we would move to Selby to be near my Maternal Grand-parents. It was whilst we were living there that we heard that Dad was going to be with the British Expeditionary Force and was going to France.
We had cards from France. Very fancy they were. We'd never seen lovely cards like them before. It seemed quite exciting receiving cards from a foreign country and I began to feel very settled and secure.
Suddenly there was fear in the air again. What was all this about Dunkirk. Why was everyone so concerned and upset.
Why was Mum crying. I had to be told, I suppose, that Dad was in Dunkirk and he was missing.
I think I was more upset because my Mum was crying and I didn't know what to do.
An older cousin was told to take me to the cinema.
When the news came on it showed all the small boats involved in the evacuation of our troops from the Dunkirk beaches.
I looked for my Dad. There he was on that big boat, sitting on the deck with lots of other bedraggled soldiers. My cousin saw him too and we reassured each other that he was safe.
We couldn't wait for the big film to end so that we could rush home to tell my mother the news.
It wasn't received with great joy as we'd expected but by a watery smile and a hug.
Of course it was wishful thinking but a few days later it was confirmed that he was safe and would really and truly soon be on his way back to us for some leave.
I have a photograph of him with a happy smile on his face before he left for his next posting the Isles of Scilly.

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