大象传媒

Being born in 1940 war was normal and all the grown up talk floated through the air only some making contact with my immature mind. For example (and I still have guilt feelings about this) two names were used all the time, one 'Churchill' the other 'Hitler' and I was unsure which was which and what they did. The other name was 'Miss Thrupp' who was actually the rent lady, but seemed equal to the other two in my small world.

Once, when we were in the rounded, corrugated iron shelter in our garden, (it had been moved from the front room!) I put my head out to see the well lit sky and an old lady sheltering with us, said "Don't put your head out there, I knew a boy who did this and he got his head blown off." Clearly this made an impact because 60 years on I still remember it, but there was no fear just puzzled curiosity.

More bewilderment came when the bomb fell on Fleming Mead. My poor older sister had found it difficult getting permission to leave her 'war work' job to come and check on our safety, but all was well.

Bemusement came from the the amount of glass which, from my view point, covered the kitchen floor and I've no idea how we crossed the room, but someone, sometime must have cleared it up; then of course for 'the duration' perhaps we had linen windows.

I always thought it was the next day that we went to look at the shell of the bomb which had caused half our road (a circular affair ... Fleming Mead, Mitcham, still there) to disappear, but by the time I saw it, there was just a cool white looking 'tube' on the ground, not hot and no dust so in fact it must have been some time after the impact. My mum, myself and a neighbour walked along the backs of the houses ... no longer there of course ... to see this.

I hated our evacuation in Bournemouth to a lady who years later received an award with her work with children. Suffice it to say that throughout my childhood my parents threatened to send me to this woman whenever I was naughty and it scared me more than any other punishment could!! I still have letters written by my father during our evacuation with my name (and my mum's) written in kisses.

The other thing which I would like confirmed if anyone remembers them were food parcels which I am convinced we received and I thought from Switzerland.I have no idea how many, how often or exactly what they contained only that there must have been more than one and that we were grateful and delighted with the contents.

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