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I was living in Neath, South Wales, when the 2nd World War broke out — I was 4 years old.

My father was a bus driver with the South Wales Bus Company, No 42. He was also in the Home Guard.

My mother was an ambulance driver and in 1942 she gave birth to my sister, her 7th child. My baby sister was put in a gas mask as we had gas masks too- I remember carrying them to school.

Because my mum was an ambulance driver she couldn’t be excused the service.

We always went to Sunday school, and one Sunday, I remember the children kept telling me that my mother had had an accident, she was biking to work when a motorcycle pooped his horn and she fell on him, fortunately she wasn’t badly hurt.

We lived very close to the Llandarcy oil works, which had a pipeline under the sea to France. The oil works was often a target for bombs and my father could read his newspaper from the light of the fires.

I remember that all the railings from around the houses and our shop were used for the war effort — as were other household items. I’m not sure what they were made into but I remember them going.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Pauline Jones and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Pauline's stories:

• Any gum chum?
• Not allowed to play
• What a 10th birthday present!

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