大象传媒

During the time leading up to the start of the war, local authorities organised air raid precautions. Towards this, volunteers were called for to act as wardens. My father answered the call and our house became a temporary wardens post, the place cluttered with various types and sizes of gas masks, destined for the residents within our immediate area. All had to call in for a fitting and instruction as to how they should be used.
At the same time, action was being taken to get schools organised towards evacuating pupils to safe areas. Being born in 1929, my tenth year, when war was due to be started, was important to me to get some distinction in exams towards gaining a place at a decent school. Things reached a point where my school took off for the country leaving behind those whose parents were not happy to see their offspring disappear into the sunset to heaven knows where. The few that were left behind were treated to an hour鈥檚 visit to school each weekday morning to collect homework, partake of a third of a pint of milk and head back to home. Winter months saw us putting our bottles of milk for warming in front of the open school room fire, when hot, putting in a lump or two of sugar and then drunk with the straw provided. The limited education did not do much for my future but helped with the extra time spent on the family allotment growing vegetables or tending the chickens in our garden which kindly provided us with eggs.

Ian Dellow

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