大象传媒

In 1939 I was nine years old and lived in south-east London. Before the war started we were provided with gas masks and had appropriate gas mask drill at school. I 鈥榟elped鈥� my father dig the hole for an Anderson shelter, which he fitted out with bunk beds. My sister was at secondary school then, and I was allowed to go with her when their school was evacuated to Burwash in Sussex. We went by train from New Cross Station, complete with our little cases of belongings, gas masks in cardboard boxes, and luggage labels with our names on pinned on our coats.

On arrival in Burwash we were assembled in the village hall to be selected by future foster parents. Being a boy and a girl, we were not selected until last, which was very upsetting. A local farmer and his wife took us to his farm about two and a half miles from the village, to which we walked every day, across fields, to school. My sister鈥檚 school was in a large mansion, taken over for the purpose, whilst I attended the local village school. For most of my time there I was left to read, as in those days the standard in LCC schools were much higher than those in rural places were. So I read many stories about King Arthur and also Greek Mythology. In September the farmer and his wife took us across fields to a neighbouring farmer who had a radio. I clearly recall the announcement by Neville Chamberlain that 鈥渨e are now at war with Germany鈥�.

After many months (cold war period) we were moved again to South Wales to a mining village called Garnant. We were, of course, moved from Sussex as we were beneath the paths of German bombers on their way to and from London. Again, my sister and I were not chosen until last. This time we were separated; my sister went to a miner鈥檚 cottage and I went to the house of the local Grammar school headmaster. I went to this school (which had a junior school) for a short while, and then went to the local primary school for another short period.

As there were a number of us juniors who were evacuated with their elder peers鈥� school, a new location was found for us. This was in the crypt of a local church in which I sat for the scholarship examination 鈥� now known as the 11 plus. The countryside was wonderful for young Londoners and we had many happy adventures. I was eventually housed with my sister, which was much better for both of us. The miner and his wife had no children of their own and they were very kind and loving to us. I went down the local mine with my foster father and was very excited and thrilled.

We London urchins had numerous battles with the local Welsh lads, but no one got seriously hurt! One day my mother and father came to collect us in my father鈥檚 Ford Eight and took us back to the south east as the bombing of London had virtually ceased. However, our house in London was damaged, so we lived in a caravan and a bell tent in Kent whilst my father and mother looked for a house outside London. They eventually found one, which was brand new and very modern, compared with the ancient house in which we had lived in south east London. The results of the 鈥榮cholarship鈥� exam were very good and so I then went to a Grammar school five miles away.

Night time air raids on London increased somewhat and we used to sleep in a Morrison shelter, which was just like a large, heavy steel table with wire mesh sides. An anti- aircraft battery of large guns and searchlights was located in a park at the end of our road. On some nights, my father and I would get up and go outside to watch the searchlights hunting the enemy bombers, which were passing overhead. One night, a plane passed over which appeared to be on fire and was making a very unusual noise; so we believed it to have been hit by anti- aircraft fire. The next morning鈥檚 newspapers announced that Hitler鈥檚 secret weapon had been launched. It became known as a 鈥榝lying bomb鈥� or 鈥楧oodle Bug鈥� 鈥� the V1!

I used to cycle the five miles to school; and one day I was ten minutes into the journey when the air raid warning sounded. Shortly afterwards I heard the ominous sound of a Doodle Bug approaching. We knew we were safe if the thing kept going over us because when the engine stopped, they glided onwards but downwards and exploded on impact. This day, after getting off my cycle and squatting in the road I saw the Bug in the distance. It had fortunately gone beyond me, and I watched a fighter (I believe it was the latest clipped wing, 5 bladed Spitfire) racing along beside the Doodle Bug. The plane had one wing under the bomb鈥檚 wing and then suddenly banked. This had the effect of tipping the V1 over, which caused it to dive, although it鈥檚 engine was still running. I heard the explosion and when continuing my journey to school, I passed a golf course and saw a crater still smoking where it had crashed. The fighter pilot had chosen his manoeuvre well, as no housing was nearby. This was apparently done quite often over farmland near the south coast. Not long afterwards the first V2鈥檚 arrived with terrifying effects, as they made no sound whatsoever. Fortunately, the war was now being fought in Europe and the V1 and V2 launch pads were eventually overrun.

Incidentally 鈥� my Matriculation exams were interrupted twice due to air raids 鈥� but I don鈥檛 recall anyone complaining!

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