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This story has been submitted by Alison Tebbutt, Derby CSV Action Desk. The author has given his permission and understands the site's terms and conditions.

If the siren went, we were told to run back to wherever was closer, home or school. So we used to hang around a bit further away from school and hope for the sirens, then we could get the day off!

Sometimes we would have to go in school time to the local farm and help the land girls with the potato picking. We did get paid for our work, but you could only go if you behaved yourself.

I remember the Doodle Bugs. We used to watch them coming over. If the came near and then cut out we would dive into the nearest shelters. Being only twelve years old we didn’t spend too much time thinking about what was happening. It was all an adventure.

On one night everyone was out and we could see a huge orange glow in the sky. I remember someone saying ‘the whole of London is on fire.’ It was a like a huge sunset. There were some Canadians stationed at Cobham. We used to go down and see them. They would teach us how to play baseball and give us sweets and chocolate. We couldn’t get down to them fast enough after school!

My father had a coal business, which of course was rationed like everything else. That is why he was exempt from Service. I eventually took over the business and learnt all the tricks of the trade.

We didn’t have a shelter at home. My Dad always said, if they’re gonna get us, they’re gonna get us. He would even ignore the sirens when he was delivering the coal. Eddie wasn’t scared of anything. People would shout to him ‘Eddie, the sirens are going!’ He would always reply with ‘to hell with it, I’ve got work to do!’

As kids, we never realised what was going on until later. We were very lucky.

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