大象传媒

As a nine year old at the outbreak of war, I didn't know what would happen, what it would be like or what would come in the ensuing years. I had heard all sorts of stories from the First World War, from my father and uncles. I was quite determined that I was going to stay with my family, no evacuation for me! So, I found out what Bombing was like, at first hand, the docks burning on the other side of the river, the columns of black oily smoke blotting out the sun. Followed, of course by nights of cold, with a candle in two flower pots to give a bit of heat to our Anderson shelter.
The next day, between alerts, gathering up shell fragments and nose cones! Then, rows of houses I had known, flattened by land mines and walls cut off as by a giant knife.
Finally, when Woolwich Arsenal had been heavily hit, my father, William, being CIA (British not American) was transfered to the area of shadow factories in Wales. The family all moved to Wales, and my war was suddenly much quieter, (apart from odd rumbling from the direction of Cardiff or Swansea) It was here, walking the country lanes, that I had my first glance of "The Enemy" up close, ( as opposed to the odd Heinkel 111 Zooming over!) Germans officers were taken for country exercise walks under the guard of squaddies with pickhandles as their armament (presumably to protect their prisoners!) These "Huns" didn't look too nasty, wandering along with their bunches of wild flowers which they had picked; we didn't know at the time of their nasty games on the other side of the Channel.
My father came home from time to time with fresh cockles from a rocket range, or fresh trout from some mountain stream, so I had quite a well fed peaceful time, apart from being an odd English boy amongst Welsh, finding out what it felt like to be an "Enemy Alien" Finally, before VE day, we found out about the concentration camps, and the desperate attempts of von Manstein to break von Paulus out of Stalingrad. Then, VE day and the signing of surrender on Luneburg Heath. Then, later, with more celebrations, VJ day. Later, in 1949, as a soldier, in Germany, in Luneburg, I found out that not all bodies were in Camps. Taking a Sunday walk through a pine forest near camp, I came across a small graveyard of perhaps 60-70 Jews in a forest clearing. Their rough headboards stating "Sacrificed to the Fascist Barbarians" With some satisfaction I found myself one of the guards holding Field Marshal Erich von Manstein as he awaited War Crimes Trial. I later took another walk of pilgrimage to the surrender spot on "Victory Hill" and that was my war and its aftermath.

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