大象传媒

Jean鈥檚 earliest memory of the war was running home from school when the air raid siren went when she was about 7 or 8 years old. 鈥淵ou had to know how many minutes it took you to run home because if it was more than 3 or 4 you had to stay at school and hide under the desk, and I wasn鈥檛 going to do that because the boy next to me had a snotty nose.

鈥業 remember being very frightened one time as I ran because I saw the German planes going over.鈥� She learned later that they went to bomb the factory where her father worked. But he was on nights so he was safe at home.

During night-time air raids her father made the family stay in bed. 鈥榊ou might as well be buried in the rubble of the house鈥� he used to say. Most people hid under the stairs if they didn鈥檛 have an Anderson shelter.

She had to carry her gas mask with her every day. They had to test it at school by breathing in so a piece of paper would stick to it. 鈥業 hated the smell and felt as if I was suffocating鈥�.

鈥業 remember seeing a convoy of US Army soldiers going through the village. They were stationed in Balderton, Notts. We used to shout at them 鈥楢ny gum, chum?鈥�

鈥業 was chosen to represent the school and give a speech about National Savings from the Town Hall balcony. I was only 11. I said I wasn鈥檛 going to do it. The Headmaster went to seem my dad who said 鈥楪et that speech learned!鈥� You did what your parents told you in those days. I was very nervous. I was given a cup of tea and a cream bun beforehand.

鈥業 also remember queueing for oranges and spending my sweet ration in the sweet shop 鈥� 2oz a week.鈥�

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