大象传媒

Eastbourne wasn't a safe place to live during the war. Our home was in Broderick Road -- I was eleven when war broke out, my younger brother was nine. I remember the "flying pencil" "dornier" planes coming over the town at the end of 1939 -- and how the Sirens went off! I also remember a cargo ship -- possibly the "Barham Castle" ?-- beached on Pevensey Bay. My father and I went scrumping -- picking up tins of food. I can't remember what we got -- peaches, perhaps?

My brother and I were then evacuated from Hamden Park Station, with crowds of other children -- it must have been the spring of 1940? We were all labelled up, and apprehensive. My father had gone into the army. The platform was crowded. The train pulled in and took us to Welwyn, in Hertfordshire. Because we wanted to stay together, my brother and I, we came as a pair, and were one of the last to be picked. We lived in School Lane, with kind "foster parents" -- we went to school at Knebworth.

One day a row of bombs fell in a field and exploded! We ran to see them!

Mum was living in Kingston upon Thames at the time. We returned to be with her there -- it was most dangerous, though. I remember a doodlebug shattering a window.

We weren't scarred for life, though! These weren't unhappy times. But there are moments you'll never forget -- the sight of London alight will stay with me forever.

THESE MEMORIES HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE SITE BY JOHN YOUNG OF 大象传媒 SOUTH EAST TODAY, NO BEHALF OF KENNETH WATTS. MR WATTS UNDERSTANDS THE SITE'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

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