大象传媒

22 June 1943 was a day I shall never forget. I was 3 1/2 years old when the Second World War began. We lived in Hull and I still remember the heavy bombing, barrage ballons and nights spent in the street shelter with Mum, my little sister, just a year old, and other family members. Animals were not allowed, so Mum would smuggle in our dog wrapped in a blanket and hide him under our bunk. The shelter was just outside my grandparents' house (mother's parents) so Granddad would put his big kettle - which we called Big Ben - onto the kitchen range and make tea for us all to keep our spirits up.

It was a terrible time so imagine our excitement when in June 1943 we all went to London. I was 7 years old by this time and my sister was 4 1/2. We had never been on a train before and we were going to stay in an hotel! When we shown into our own bedroom we were so thrilled and Mum and Dad were just down the corridor. Granny (Dad's mother) and his sister Eddie were in the next one.

That night, just after we all got settled to sleep, the familiar sound of the air-raid siren went off so my sister and I scampered off to Mum and Dad until the all-clear sounded.

The following day I remember as if it were yesterday and feel so very proud still of my father. He served throughout the war in the Merchant Navy and retired as Captain in 1967.

As Chief Petty Officer Geo. F. Stride he received an invitation to Buckingham Palace to attend an investiture on 22nd June 1943 where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross from Queen Elizabeth in the absence of King George VI who was engaged in touring the blitzed areas of London. Although my father's ship was involved in bringing home troops from the Dunkirk evacuation, his DSC was awarded for bravery above the call of duty while serving on the SS Ocean Volga in North Africa.

Of course he was delighted and proud to have received such an honour and was also very privileged to have met Wing Commander Guy Gibson of the Dam Busters who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross at the same investiture. That made my father's day extra-special.

Unfortunately at that time children under the age of 14 were not allowed inside the Palace and I cried my eyes out in disappointment. I thought I was going to see the Queen on her throne wearing her crown and a long sparkly dress! So, to pacify me Auntie Eddie took my sister and I on a big London bus to some shops and bought us each a pair of sunglasses. How we showed them off when we got home!

My younger brother was born in 1947 and we all have wonderful memories of my father who died in 1977, and treasure his medal, along with many others, the invitation and letters of congratulations passed down to us from my mother. Sadly we lost her last year; she died just before her 90th birthday.

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