大象传媒

Fred was 10 at the start of the war, the youngest of five children. I had a great time. We lived in Thurrock, and could watch all the bombers going in to London, and then see our fighters come in and attack them. It was really exciting.

We had three planes come down in our area, as well as two V1s and three V2s. Not bad hey? I remember once we were on our bikes, and we came round a corner to find the cockpit of a bomber across the road.

One other time, there was a plane flying so low, we could have hit it with a catapult. It eventually crashed near Southend.

I鈥檝e got a copy of the local Police reports at home, and still read through them and remember the incidents they are talking about.

Sylvia grew up in London and doesn鈥檛 share Fred鈥檚 enthusiasm! I hated the war. I was younger than Fred, and living in the middle of it suppose I saw it differently. On one occasion, I was running to get into the Anderson Shelter when the sirens had sounded. There was an explosion nearby, and I was blown into the shelter. The door fell on top of me and trapped me. I have been terrified of being locked in places ever since.

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