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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Dianne Burtrand of Chelmsford Library on behalf of C.Hatton and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

On the first night of the war the family had all gone to bed and were woken by the sound of air raid sirens. Charlie and his father and mother went downstairs ready to take shelter under the table but his Grandfather didn’t come down for some time. The family was concerned and someone went to see where he was. He had put on his gas mask and was fully dressed in his suit and tie, checking his appearance in the dressing table mirror. Charlie can only assume his Grandfather feared the worst and wanted to look his best.
During the war the Daily Express regularly published maps and flags for the different theatres of operation so that people could follow progress of the war. Charlie had a number of maps on his bedroom walls and followed progress carefully. When the Germans bombed places in the UK, Charlie checked his maps to find the places such as Coventry and Exeter. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ used to report that German bombers had dropped bombs the previous evening at random and Charlie spent much time searching for ‘Random’ on his maps!!
Charlie remembers bombs falling on Braintree in the winter of 1940/41, in Bank Street, very close to where he was living. Charlie was at home and heard the whistle of the bombs dropping and the bang before he had time to get into the cellar for shelter. He walked up town with his father and there was broken glass everywhere from all the shop fronts.
Many US servicemen were stationed in the Braintree area. Charlie remembers that initially they bought all the bicycles, so it was difficult for local people to buy a bicycle after 1942. Charlie says he and a friend had one bicycle between them and used to take it in turns to ride for a mile or so, while the other ran alongside.

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