大象传媒

Ramsgate had always been a very busy place before the war as a holiday resort, but when the war got going it became a garrison town, Army for the guns and search lights, Navy in the harbour with Motor Torpedo Boats and Motor Gun Boats and Air Sea Rescue. Also nearby the RAF at Manston Aerodrome. Even a night at the cinema would be upset as the film would be stopped to call the service men back to duty.

I lived at a place called Northwood between Ramsgate and Margate and worked at the K Laundry there. Staff were sometimes difficult to get as more and more people were leaving the area. I would be told to go to the shop at Margate, as one of my jobs was seeing to the wages. I had to take the ledgers with me on the bus, when the siren went I had to bag what money I had collected and the ledgers and a policeman would come to escort me to the shelter. When I was at the main office at Northwood and the siren went I was allowed to dash home to help my mother into the shelter. We had a Morrison shelter in the living room under the table as my mother had spinal paralysis. We also had an Anderson shelter in the garden.

The cross Channel shelling was very scary as you didn't get a warning. The Doodle Bugs were also rather frightening, although there was a warning - you knew when the engine cut out they were coming down.

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