大象传媒

I was born in 1937 in London and lived there throughout the war except for a few months in 1940 spent with my father's family in North Wales. I find it strange now when I look back on those days that I cannot remember one incident when I felt even the slightest sense of fear. Even when I was at school and London was being targeted by doodle bugs I can only remember the excitement of the shelter and the luxury of having a book read to us instead of doing lessons. Did I lack imagination? I certainly never thought there might be no home to come back to after school but perhaps this confidence imbued in me is a testament of my parents good sense.

However if I lacked fear I also remember lacking colour in my life. It must have been to do with the shortage of dye but everything was wishy washy. I suppose I would not have known if it were not for the general shortage of goods which meant the shopkeepers used pre-war packages for their window displays and there were the beautiful boxes of chocolates with luxuriant pictures and great wide satin ribbons ( oh how I wished for ribbons like that)and packets of cigarettes bright in colour. Senior Service with the picture of the sailor was printed in bright strong tints but when my brother managed to get a wartime packet the poor sailor was an anaemic version of his pre-war counterpart.

The war taught me a lot. With friends and relations posted all over the globe our knowledge of geography was well above average and after D Day in 1944 I followed the allies progress through Europe on a map in the living room with a box of little flags to show the situation of all the armies.

Peace came with mixed feelings for me. I remember thinking life would be a lot duller without the drone of aircraft and rattle and thud of the anti aircraft guns on Wormwood Scrubs but VE day was exciting cheering outside the palace and then back to work and learning to grow up in a more peaceful world.

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