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Surrounded by all the airports supporting the bomber squadrons was an experience of it鈥檚 own, leaving on bombing missions day and night. My friends and I would count them leaving and hear how many returned. Returning from missions the planes would be crippled some times with no undercarriage unfortunately having to crash land; some not even making the Airfield.

As the war intensified so the Germans increased the bombing activity over London and targeting the area I lived in due to the concentration of airports around. One thing I always remember is the unmanned bombers (doodlebugs) constantly flying overhead, sometimes landing close to home.

My mother was in the WVS, located opposite Westleton Green supporting the troops the Westleton Common; they were Royal Artillery lads.

I used to help mum do the soldiers laundry daily plus other chores like baking cakes, making sandwiches.

The disappointment came when D-Day came close as I had become friends with the lads from the Artillery who had their marching orders and left for D-Day, never more to be seen.

One lovely memory at the age of fifteen I was invited to a dance at Greyfriars in Dunwich which the American Airforce had arranged. My friend and I danced the night away to the band of Glenn Miller.

To my surprise, in a spot prize at the dance I won a pair of Nylons and a box of candy. These were luxury items then. Although it was war, I felt we had some good times.

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