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This story was submitted to the People’s War website by Ashley, a pupil from Teversham Primary School on behalf of John Morgan and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Morgan fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

I was 7 and a half when the war started and I heard that it had started by listening to the radio. I did not know what ‘war’ meant so I asked a member of my family ‘what is ‘war?’ They had to think for a moment how to describe it and said ’it is like when two people don’t agree and instead of talking they fight each other.’
As the ‘war’ went on it was clear from the radio broadcasts that people were being killed and injured. Many others were being captured and kept in prison camps. Often they were badly treated and tortured. I know a number of people who became prisoners of war. Both were in the Far East - one of them worked on the Burma Road - this was in fact a railway. The prisoners of war were badly treated and many died. Thankfully both people I knew remained alive and returned home safely to Cherry Hinton after the war.
One person who lived around the corner from where I now live was killed on the last air raid of the war. He had no need to go on this operation but volunteered. He was part of the famous Dam Buster raid. His death was very sad to me but even sadder for me was when my cousin died who was serving on H.M.S Duned in the Far East. His ship was sunk by the Japanese and he was missing for several months before being reported dead. My brother was in the air force and came home safely I’m pleased to say. He had been based in Malta.

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