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People鈥檚 homes were protected with sandbags against explosives and black blinds made out of black material to put on windows so as to not let a chink of light get out during a raid. There were Anderson shelters in gardens which were more prevalent in English cities than in Northern Ireland. Air-raid shelters were in most cities. All glass windows were taped. Houses would have a room prepared for gas attacks as they were expected. As we were all issued with gas masks, one did not go out without them and a flashlight for the dark. Streets were decorated here and there with 鈥淪mokey Joes鈥�, a large tin contraption which had oil in them. At dusk, if they had word of possible raids, they would be lit, and the smoke would shield the town in the blackout. Barrage balloons soared overhead to try and keep bombers from important targets. Gummed paper was used for sealing all cracks against the gas, which was dreaded. Air-raid wardens ARP had stirrup pumps and water for fire fighting as the incendiary bombs pounded down. Mines and parachute bombs which sank in soft ground were the worst. Railings and all metal were taken for scrap metal for the war effort. Petrol was only given to essential workers like doctors, etc. Food was severely rationed 鈥� one egg per fortnight. Food was on a points system, using ration books. From January 1940, bacon, butter and sugar were rationed. Meat followed in March of that year.

We here in Ireland did not suffer as much as England and Scotland as we were near farms and agricultural country was within cycling distance. There was a black market which did flourish here in Ireland. Cheese was not so popular here and people did not take up their cheese ration. On his leave, my husband brought home the overflow of our cheese ration to his family who were bombed out twice in London and who were strictly rationed. In London they had British restaurants which gave people a modest meal at a modest price. Minced beef with carrots and onions was a typical dish. All children had their daily milk ration as well as cod liver oil and orange juice. Dried eggs and milk and spam were sent from America. Vegetables were grown in plots in parks, railway sidings, and banks and even flower pots. My mother-in-law in London kept three hens in her back garden. She was a wonderful woman who wouldn鈥檛 leave London. Cigarettes and alcohol were never rationed but often in short supply.

Evacuation was ordered and crowds of children were taken to railway stations to be sent to addresses in the country towns out of the way of the bombers. They would be armed with cases and bags with gas masks and sometimes mothers even went. Although the war started in September 1939 there was a lull called 鈥淭he Phoney War鈥�, it was only when the bombing started that evacuation began. In Northern Ireland when children were evacuated some soon returned home but in England when they were evacuated they stayed to the end of the war. Evacuation was a godsend for some children especially those sent to middle class families. My family were evacuated to Clogher Valley for a short time, but we spent most of the war out at Lessans, near Saintfield. I cycled in every day to go to work because I worked from I was 14. The first bomb that fell on Belfast was on Alexandra Park Avenue; my mother thought they were our planes. They did not let up for 7 hours and I was sent to inspect what was going on, believe me I saw some sights in North Belfast. We had to leave our home and try to get to the country. There was a nightly evacuation to the Cave Hill and into the countryside.

Life was no picnic here, although we had no conscription like the rest of Britain. Women were in war work, munitions and any job that could be done by a woman. 鈥楲and girls鈥� replaced the men who had worked on farms. There were nurses and women drove trucks and ambulances. War also brought changes to how you entertained yourself. People listened to the radio all they could. We sang war songs like 鈥楳oonlight Serenade鈥�, 鈥楾here will always be an England, 鈥楬ang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line鈥�, 鈥榊ou are my Sunshine鈥�, 鈥榃hite Cliffs of Dover鈥�, 鈥楧eep in the Heart of Texas鈥�, 鈥楤oogie Woogie Bugle Boy鈥�, 鈥楶raise the Lord鈥� and 鈥楶ass the Ammunition鈥�. My favourites were 鈥業 will be seeing you鈥� and 鈥楧on鈥檛 fence me in鈥�. Some of the programmes we had on the radio were Tommy Handle and Mrs Mop, the Nine o鈥檆lock News, and the Kitchen Front. Vera Lynn was the British forces sweetheart and the most famous song of the war was 鈥楲ily Marlene鈥�. The song was carried home by the troops of North Africa. There were big band broadcasts from Alexandra Palace. People from different social classes came together in the dance halls and infidelity was born. Some of the stars of the day were Gracie Fields and George Formby. I remember him singing:
鈥榃histle while you work, Hitler is a twerp
Goering鈥檚 barmy, so鈥檚 his army
Whistle while you work鈥�.

Slogans during the war included 鈥淐areless Talk costs Lives.鈥�, 鈥淒ig for Victory鈥�, 鈥淏e like Dad, keep Mum鈥� and 鈥淲alls have Ears鈥�. I wish I had those posters now.

There was the home guard, who were wonderful, later they made a comedy programme about them called 鈥楧ad鈥檚 Army鈥�. We had strong leaders then like Winston Churchill, Montgomery and Dempsey Dill. The S.A.S and S.O.S were products of the 2nd World War.

I was robbed of my teen years but I got a wonderful man from it. We had no real cosmetics so we dyed our legs to look like stockings and wore beetroot juice for lipstick, soap was rationed. Bread was never rationed. We ate the national loaf which was like a big pan loaf and we were glad of it. Children, for a delicacy, had parsnips mashed with sugar and banana essence and we pretended it was smashed banana. 鈥淒ig for Victory鈥� was a popular slogan and every able-bodied man and woman had to dig an allotment in their spare time. Britain was trying to be as self sufficient as possible. The English ate brains and cows鈥� udders and horses, which to me was sacrilege. Bones made glue for aircraft. Aluminium pots were collected to make spitfire fighter planes. Army blankets made lovely coats. Clothes rationing started in 1941 on a points system. It allowed one complete new rig every year. 鈥楿tility鈥� clothing was introduced. Men had no turn-ups on their trousers and skirts were short and straight. People mended and sewed and ripped out again and again. Wooden clogs for shoes came in and were split to give ease of movement.

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