大象传媒

Submitted by Sheila Wells (War Adress Whitton, Twickenham, Mddx.

The early part of the war was spent at Whitton near Twickenham. My Father was a devout Irish Catholic and we went to church a number of times on a Sunday.
One particular week we were all ready to go to Church and father came in and said 鈥渢ake your coats off, we are not going to Church today.鈥�
That was the day that war was declared: 3rd Sept.1939 My main reason for remembering the day was not going to church 鈥� but I was only six years old at the time! Dad worked at the Feltham Aerodrome building planes. It seemed to me he was never at home. I missed him.
Each evening I would put my pyjamas on and get my doll and my brother Dennis would take me to the air raid shelter at the end of the road. On the way we would collect my friend Ann Clark. At the shelter, Mr. Hanky who always had his tin hat on, would meet us. We slept every night there. Dennis would go home to look after Mum. And my two other brothers. They all slept in a Morrison shelter doiwnstairs. Sometimes we slept under the stairs when the siren went and there was not enough time to get to the air raid shelter.
My brother and I with our friends would often go to the railway station and meet the trains with the American soldiers getting off. We called them Yankies. They would put us on their shoulders and carry us to the top of the steps. They gave us candy, chocolate etc., and continue on their way to barracks. They were so kind and lovely. You wouldn鈥檛 be able to do that today. There was so much love and togetherness in those days.
I remember a friend coming to my home for tea, and afterwards my mother told me not to go further than the end of the road with her. I didn鈥檛 listen however and went into the town with her, playing on a bomb site. Whilst we were there the air raid siren went. My friend and I went in opposite directions. I was aware that a Doodlebug was following me when I heard Mr. Hanky calling to me. I ran to him as fast as I could and he threw me into the shelter. Within moments a bomb exploded in the very area I had been in. Four houses were demolished.
Shortly after this we were evacuated with Mum to The White House at Upton, near Didcot. The house had been divided into four flats for families from London. I enjoyed being there and well remember the gypsies who camped nearby. I went mushrooming with them and they taught me where to look. I still have clear memories of the school, bakery, the cobbled streets and the small shops. Near to The White House was a mansion that was used to billet soldiers and the fire watch guards. We actually lived in the middle of acres of land.
After the war we returned to Whitton. All the family were safe as well as my Dad. We celebrated V.E day by having a great party in the street. I used to go to dance classes; our class danced and we had pretty dresses made out of Union Jacks. I remember we had a wonderful time, everyone very happy; this was in nearby Twickenham, close to The Winning Post Public house.
When I think back 鈥� my Mum had a terrible time, her nerves were bad. She died of cancer at the age of 59. My dear brother Dennis also had cancer and died aged 42. I have no contact with my two other brothers.

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