大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the site by the 大象传媒's Peoples War Team in the East Midlands with Joan Dukes permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions"

On September 3 1939 Britain declared war against Germany.

There was a big push for children to be sent to a "safe" place. My parents decided that my brother, 8 years old and me 6 would be sent to live with two Great Aunts in Copmanthorpe - a village outside of York.

We lived there for several months receiving a one penny postage stamp per week for pocket money. I believe Mum and Dad sent money to these Aunts for us to stay there but I'm not completely sure about that. It was never mentioned. However an envelope from my mother arrived weekly. That winter my mother produced a big surprise - our baby brother Brian was born December 29th.

At some point it was decided the war was not that threatening to us personally. We should be brought back to Sheffield to live. Sheffield was, at that time a large, very dirty, industrial city.

We stayed until the air raids became very intense. Many nights my brother, Geoff and I were put to bed in the Anderson air raid shelter. I remember my Dad digging out the large hole for this shelter - with no help -just hard, hard work. He joked that he was digging our way to China. Other nights Mum would wake us when the Sirens "went off" Sometimes we would crawl back into bed before she managed to get the baby up and then she would have to go through the process again. Dad very often was working nights or overtime. There were no phones so Mum managed the best way she knew how. We did learn to recognize the sound of the German Planes. Quite often we would here them before the sirens went.

The Blitz's are very clear in my mind to this day. Eventually the bombs came fast and furious. One Thursday night there was an air raid which lasted all night. Very heavy bombing which flattened the steel works. On the Sunday that same week another severe raid. This time the City Centre was demolished We were all so scared.

The next morning my Dad said "enough was enough." Bags and cases were quickly packed. We walked as a family to the closest main road, hoping to catch a bus out of the city. At all road ends there were signs "DANGER" Time Bomb.. We waited and waited at the bus stop. Eventually a car came along (must have been on Government Business) stopped and asked us where we were going. They told us the town centre was completely demolished as was all the transportation. They said they would take us to the outskirts of Sheffield where we would have a better chance of getting on a bus. All 5 of us bundled into the back seat of this car. We were heading to my Grandmother's in Castleford.

Once there life became a little easier. It was hard to understand that we didn't even get out of bed when the sirens sounded. Thus began a long stay in Castleford and later at a house in Pontefract..Dad returned to Sheffield to live by himself. Furniture eventually arrived leaving him with the bare necessities. As time went along he became tired of this existence. It was all arranged, we would return to Sheffield. Dad came for two days making sure all was ready - we returned home to find a large bomb had landed on the street demolishing 8 homes. Our home was without a roof, windows, damaged stairs and condemned. He got to a 'Phone - called my Aunt at work to cancel all arrangements. We three children went back to Grandma,s and Mum took the train to Sheffield. What a mess. Needless to say we stayed in Pontefract much longer than planned. The neighbours begged for all the houses to be made livable as most had nowhere else to go. A tarp was placed on the roof - windows were boarded up. Dad moved into the front room to sleep. Before the end of the war these houses were repaired. They still stand and are lived in to this day.

Towards the end of the war the air raids stopped for the most part and we returned to Sheffield. Just in time for the 11+ exams to get us to Grammar School.

When VE-Day was declared I was at a day camp cook out with the Girl Guides. We cooked Heinz Beans on a small camp fire. Coming home we noticed there were lights. Until now everything had been in total darkness. Blackout - it was called. We knew the war was over. There were street parties. I wore a piece of thin curtain material for a skirt but we did have a lot of fun.

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