大象传媒

My war started, like it did for everyone else in the country, with the statement on the radio by the PM (Mr Neville Chamberlain) stating 鈥渁s a consequence we are at war with Germany鈥�. Straight away the sirens sounded and a plane was heard overhead so of course everyone rushed outside but it proved to be a big disappointment.

Shortly after this the Family moved form Eglington St. in Monkwearmouth across the town to The Knoll. Although we had a brick shelter in our backyard it proved to be very damp and cold so when the sirens went we preferred to shelter in the cupboard underneath the stairs which proved to be a tight squeeze for our family and the lady who lived in the downstairs flat. But with our, candles flask of tea and sandwiches we managed. This was our bolt hole for the time the blitz in Sunderland lasted which was from 1940 to late 1943. I could hear the planes coming over, the guns firing and the bombs exploding, so of course my mates and I would go round the streets the next day collecting shrapnel. My Dad at this time was classed as unfit for service so he joined the Home Guard.

Although food was rationed my Mother managed to put meals on the table and we never went short. Looking back I wonder how she managed to do it as we couldn鈥檛 afford to go on the Black Market like some people who could afford it. Where rationing hit me personally was when sweets were rationed, and if my memory serves me right, we were only allowed a quarter per week (or was it a month). Anyway once you had spent your coupon allowance that was it until the next month, also as newsprint was in short supply so were comics and you had to know a newsagent very well to make sure your supply was safe.

My father who worked as a Tram Conductor during the War also worked part time at the Empire Theatre, and as staff were in short supply when my Father had to go on shift I would take his place. This at the time was very unofficial, (I was about 11). My Dad was known as a Lime Boy that is he shone the spotlight from way up in the Gallery onto the stars on the stage which is the job that I did. This way I saw all the stars and shows and was a very happy period in my life considering what was happening in the world.

One night there was a heavy raid on Sunderland (24th May 1943) and a large bomb dropped on a warehouse in Dun Cow Street between the Fire Station and the Empire and when I went up to the box where the lime box was I found the gantry at the top of the Empire covered in dust and rubble about a foot thick. Also in 1943 when another raid was in progress and we were sitting under the stairs everything seemed quiet so my Dad and I went to the front door to see if we could see anything, and for some fresh air, when a German plane flew overhead and my Dad pulled me into the passage and slammed the front door shut. There was an almighty crash against the door and when we went out to see what had happened we found a railway sleeper propped up against the front door. It was a good job it was one of the old fashioned heavy doors, not the eggshell doors that are now made.

At this time although I followed the war reports from the wireless and newspapers which were heavily censored, and marked it all on the maps which covered my bedroom wall. Although I had seen all the bomb damage in the town the above event finally brought home to me how lucky my Family and I had been and even now over
60 years later hearing the sirens on TV or a film still sends a shiver down my spine and the hairs on the nape of my neck rise up.

As an afterthought years later when I was doing my National Service in the Royal Artillery I was posted to Germany. The job I did was as a Battery Clerk and the German typist that was employed in my office told me that her husband had been a Luftwaffe pilot during the war and he had bombed Sunderland.

These are the thoughts that have stuck in my mind after all this time.

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