大象传媒

Born December 1935 so three and a half when war declared.

My parents had bought a house in a fair middle class road in Finchley and apparently the neighbours had been clearly disturbed that a uniformed policeman should move in, but this changed when the air raids started. Ours became the safe house in the road where many gathered.

I do not recall being scared although raids occurred most nights and our guns seemed to be very near and shook the house. We used the outdoor Anderson shelter until we found it flooded. We were then given an indoor Morrison shelter but gave up using this when my brother refused to join us and it was felt we should all go together if necessary.

Food was very short and many a time my parents went without for me. We listened eagerly to the 鈥渨ireless鈥� each night and laughed together at the many comedy programmes and of course, to Winston Churchill. School lessons were so often interrupted by the siren and we continued learning in brick shelters. I cannot remember any panic, all seeming normal. In the absence of the 鈥渁ll clear鈥�, you could only go home with your mother who would often take others home to save them staying on.

Small memories include the weekly pig man for whom you saved all food scraps, the garden given over entirely to vegetables. Refugees bombed out from the East End allowed to occupy very good houses where the owners had gone to the safer countryside. I loved playing with them although Mother thought them common. There was a local council run canteen where we bought a meal for 6d. and then went home for a second. Whenever a rare food such as bananas appeared the neighbours told each other and there was a rush to the shop.

The boys scavenged for shrapnel to and from school. The letter F was removed from signs to fool the Nazi pilots if they got lost over Finchley. Certainly I recall a lot of laughter but people were much more united and we were all patriotic. It was not all bad but I hope it was the last of such evil times.

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