大象传媒

Born in 1933 I was 6 years old when the war started. I lived at Glebe Farm, Glentham with my mother, uncle, Grandma and Grandad and my sister Joan who was 16 months younger than me - I can remember lots of events.

My Uncle Den was an ARP Warden at Glentham. The RAF had a searchlight unit based at the Chestnuts and my Grandma had to do the suppers for the men who worked there. They used to bring my sister and I lots of chocolate and also wonderful slab fruit cakes.

One night incendiary bombs were dropped and all the hedges on our farm were on fire. As we were so near to Hemswell Camp one night bombs were dropped on our farm and one bomb was not discovered until harvest time - it was in the centre of a field of corn. The bomb disposal squad had to come and explode it - we all had to stay in the house with all the windows and doors open - the animals had to be shut up and the road was closed. My sister and I were sitting on the settee underneath the window and the force of the blast blew us both underneath the table.

We walked to Glentham School every day carrying our lunch in our gas mask cases!! On Sunday nights our Grandma used to walk with us up to the Monks Arms at Caenby Corner as our Mum worked there and one night as we were walking home when we saw a plane on fire over Glentham and Grandma made us run all the way home as she thought it had landed on our farm but as it happened it came down in a field below Bishopbridge. I can also remember German prisioners of war living in the warehouses at Bishopbridge.

As we were so close to Hemswell Camp I can remember lying in bed and hearing the droning of the Lancasters going over our house and to this day when I see and hear the Lancaster it brings back memories.

We were very lucky as far as food rationing was concerned as living on the farm we had plenty of eggs, vegetables, butter and milk from our cows and also we regularly killed our pigs. It was a very sad time for all but we were very lucky and really not told enough to understand - seeing Hull on fire when we stood outside. Our Grandad was very strict and we were not allowed to look at the papers or listen to the Radio as we got older. (Apart form 'Dick Barton - Special Agent'!!)

Well, I think I better stop now or it will turn into a book. Just one funny thing - the night the bombs were dropped on our farm - my sister Joan was sleeping with our Grandad as we used to argue who was going to sleep with him - anyway Grandad thought it was Joan who had fallen out of bed - leaned over to feel on the floor and squashed her - so she never slept with hime again!!

We had a wonderful childhood at Glebe Farm and were very lucky.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.