大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Frank Shelton, with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

I was born on 4th September 1938, and the Second World War broke out on 3rd September 1939. Obviously I knew nothing about the start of the War but by the time VE Day came in 1945 I was almost seven.

Throughout the War my mum, dad, brother and I lived in a small village in the Vale of Belvoir, named Cropwell Bishop.

At the top of the hill, on Fern Road, was an army camp, so we saw alot of military activity, squadrons of soldiers marching through the village, tanks used to come down from the camp, turn round in the wide road in front of the church which was known at the time as 'The Turn'.

We lived right next door to 'The Wheatsheaf' one of the two pubs in the village. As a three year old I used to go in the pub, with the soldiers and in my way sing along with them.

On top of the school was an air raid warning, which Mr Charles Kirk, the headmaster was required to activate when he was informed an air raid was expected, and activate again giving a different signal, when the 'all clear' was given. We were bombed one night, and that night my dad was on duty at the Newton RAF camp in a civillian post. Being at a military camp he got updated on things that were happening, and he heard that Cropwell Bishop, and Cropwell Butler were being bombed. I should imagine that must have been a long, traumatic shift not knowing what he would find on his return home. However! When we went out the next morning the only damage I can recall was a local farmers fowl sheds had been overturned and blown further up the field they were in.

In the field at the back of our house, I suppose about 200-300yards away, a bomber plane crashed, I can remember the undertakers coming to fetch the pilot, who had been the only person on board, as far as I can remember. Then along came the RAF lowloader lorries known as 30 footers to fetch the plane, but not before us kids had got some glass from the windows, which we made rings out of for our fingers, by heating the poker up in the fire until it glowed red hot when we would then burn a hole in the glass.

Some families in the village who had room in their homes, had evacuees to stay with them. Evacuees in the main were children from large cities who were moved into the country for their own safety. These children were able to continue their education in our school. We children had to have a face mask which was very tight fitting and not comfortable to wear, but nevertheless was necessary in the event of a raid. These masks were regularly checked at school by holding a sheet of blotting paper under the base, which was under the wearer's chin.

On one afternoon whilst we were in school we were taken into the school yard to watch a lot of parachutes coming down into the village, in the evening we were taken up the Kinoulton Road, where all the parachutes still lay as they had landed, the soldiers presumably gone to the camp.

Night time, in winter, during the hours of darkness no lights were to be seen from anywhere, houses had to have blackouts as curtains, and some had wooded shutters fitted over the windows on the outside. Home Guards came round to ensure no lights were to be seen.

After the war, German Prisoners of War, known as POW'S were based at Langar 3 miles away. Some of these POW'S came into the village by lorry in the mornings to work on the farms, we kids were treated marvellous by these POW's. We went wherever they were sent to work.

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