大象传媒

I was a baby when my father left for the war and just remember the rationing, my mother having to queue for bananas and oranges all day and crying, thinking my mother had left me because I was ill with children's illnesses.

We also had a land mine drop on the corner shop, and we and our neighbours got the blast. We were in the shelter and the neighbours had to dig us out thinking we might be dead. The house had part of the roof missing, the door was off, there was broken glass and much more damage. I remember seeing the doodlebug, then running from the garden, calling to my mother "it's coming". I remember also how everyone helped each other and gave their help when there was so much help needed -- and then I remember how my mother would sit and cry many times wondering if my father was safe. She had not heard from him for so long, and when she did hear, it was a dirtly little piece of paper saying "I'm all right." That's all he could write.

When he came home in 1946 and I was at school I opened the door and saw my daddy for the first time. I ran away to my mother, and said "there's a soldier at the door", and my mum said "That's Daddy, come home to us." Before then, when war was over, every one went to London to celebrate and then have a big bonfire in the middle of the road, singing and dancing with joy.

THIS STORY HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE SITE BY JOHN YOUNG OF 大象传媒 SOUTH EAST TODAY, ON BEHALF OF G.H. POCOCK, WHO UNDERSTANDS THE SITE'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

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