大象传媒

Over the years my Dad has often told us stories of his days during World War 2. His name is Robert Want (Bob to his family and friends) he was only 7 years old in 1940 and to a small boy it must have been an exciting time. He lived at No 160 King Street with his Mum Eva and two small sisters Sheila and June. Grandad was in the Army. My Nanny was afraid of a thunderstorm so I can only imagine how terrified she was in an air raid. Dad says she used to hug him and he can remember that like yesterday - it always brings a tear to my eye.

These are his words:

My first recollection of the war was when our Anderson Shelter arrived. I remember helping my Dad dig a hole four feet deep to put it in.
In Air Raid number 21 on Norwich (there were 44 in total) on April 29 1941 a bomb was dropped on Colmans Works in King Street. After the all clear my Dad, who was home on leave from the Army, took me to see the fire which was huge. It was confirmed that it was an oil bomb that did the damage. We lived quite close to Colmans in King Street and just across the river was the Boulton and Paul factory which received many hits during the war.
Our school was only about 50 yards from our shelter and on 27/28 April 1942 Norwich suffered what the Germans called the Beadeker Raids. Much of the city was destroyed including our school. We thought it was funny at the time to see it on fire and the roof falling in. They soon found us another school called Crome about 2 miles from home.
One of my jobs in the morning after a raid was to run to my grandparents house to make sure they were okay and report back to Mum before I went to school. They lived on the far side of the city - what better way to keep fit.
I would love playing on the bombed buildings and collecting firewood to help with the winter fuel. I also remember going to Eaton Park to see a German Dornier 17 which had been brought down almost intact.
One of my favourite pastimes on school holidays was going to Horsham St Faiths airfield to see Liberator Bombers coming home from raids over on the continent. We could get very close to the perimeter track and some of the air crew, who I might add were very glad to be home, would open a window and throw gum and candy on the grass. We would scurry across to pick it up as the huge bombers went by.
Finally I remember VE Day. I went up to the Market Place and joined in with many thousands of others to celebrate. I was 12 years old.

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