大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Louise Angell of the CSV Action desk at 大象传媒 Radio Derby on behalf of Arthur Atter. The author understands the sites terms and conditions.

I was five years old when the war started in 1939, far too young to realise how serious things were going to get. My favourite place of all time is Trent Lock at Sawley. It was my play area during the war years.
The Germans did not bother me because in the early days of the war they were far across the sea.
Many of my friends and I were happy to swim in the canal and river Trent. We were still free to roam from red Hill to Toton Sidings or Chilwell to Shardlow.
My father went back into the army so everything depended on my mother because of dad being away. Only a slight effect here. Seeing barges on the canal filled with new bomb casings being taken from Stanton Iron Works to be armed did not affect me.
Tanks and army vehicles that were hidden from aireal view at Lockington Lane and Donington Park did not affect me. To me it was like a game, part of which meant going to school and putting up with food rationing and 'make do and mend' being part of everyday life.
Then reality caught up with us by way of bombs being dropped in a field at Trent Lock and on 2 or 3 houses in Netherfield Road, Sawley. For us our happiness and carefree attitude were taken away in one foul swoop making us realise just how serious war can get. The fact that Long Eaton and Sawley and Trent Lock were pretty close to many things involved in the war. What were the Germans after? Red Hill Tinnel, Chilwell Depot or Ruddington or the largest railway sidings in England being Toton. What about Stanton Iron Works or Crossley Premear, Donington Park, Shardlow Hall and many small factories belonging to Rolls Royce all adding to the war effort.
I saw the bomb craters at Trent Lock and realised that air raid shelters could have created havoc if just a couple were hit. The serious side had come to our part of the Midlands. Never again I hope.

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