大象传媒

On 1st September 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, I was staying with my family at Colwyn Bay. The news I found alarming, but at the age of thirteen was not able to realise fully the implications. It must have been so much more horrifying for those who had lived through and had memories of The Great War. This day was the first when blackout regulations were introduced. My father cut short our holiday and the next day we returned home to Olton.

On 3rd September, war against Germany was formally stated to exist by the Prime Minister, Mr Neville Chamberlain. At 11 o'clock the family were in our lounge listening to his broadcast of the dreaded but expected news. As my school had been evacuated to Milichope Park in Shropshire, my parents then drove me over for the autumn term. We stopped for lunch in Bridgnorth, where we heard rumours of the bombing of London and Hull, but these were in fact false, as there had only been siren warnings.

We left my brother at home, who with assistance started to dig a hole in the garden just beyond the top lawn to take the air raid shelter. When I came home in December on holiday, the shelter was completed. It had concrete steps leading down and inside was an arched room formed of
corrugated metal, reasonably spacious, while the outside was covered over with a rockery. At first camp chairs were used for resting, but later bunk beds were installed.

Up to the following summer, when Germany invaded the low countries and France, this period was known as the "Phoney War", but afterwards the threat of invasion became a reality. I kept a diary from 1941 to 1944, when I entered the navy and on re-reading, it appeared that there were a greater number of air raids and alerts in 1941 than in the following years (that is when I was home from school on holiday); sometimes three or four nights consecutively. At first apparently the sirens were sounded on the suspicions of a raid, as the early warning system was not so sophisticated as later in the war. If there was a night raid, relatives who lived in a flat above their shop on the Parade, Solihull, would drive over, grab a stiff whisky and we would all hurry down the garden into the shelter, often staying there until the next morning, even though the all-clear had sounded earlier.

The shelter was damp, only heated by a paraffin stove with no lighting apart from torchlight and candlelight, so my father decided to convert our rear garage into an air-raid shelter. The roof was strengthened by girders and thick walls were built inside, which I believe are still in situ. There was already an electricity supply for lighting and heating, so it was altogether more comfortable, enabling us to have a reasonable night's sleep.

My parents acted as air-raid wardens on a rota system with neighbours. They attended lectures on fire-watching held at a local school. On one occasion they had to crawl through a gas filled tent wearing their gas masks and tin helmets, which at their ages proved quite an effort and caused some amusement. On duty, wardens usually wore the one-piece siren suits for warmth.

Near our home a barrage balloon was positioned above a farmer's field. I do not remember exactly where the nearest bombs dropped.

Further along our road a dump of old rubber motor tyres self-ignited, blazing for many days to the consternation of neighbours.

The war brought out a great feeling of camaraderie. We were all in it and pulling together. The local social life continued with an even greater zest. I noted from my diary how many times we went to the pictures; at least three or sometimes four times a week.

In the home there were various types of precautions taken against bombing and fires:-
Curtains were lined with black-out material and curtains hung at windows and doors, where previously there had been none.

Heavy gummed tape was fixed to plate glass windows in a lattice pattern to reduce damage from flying glass.

The bath was kept two thirds full of water. This caused staining to the the surface below the water line.

Stirrup pumps were placed around with buckets of water for fighting fires and also long handled tongs for picking up incendiary bombs, for putting into metal containers with a sprung drop-in lid filled with sand.

We were required to cover the headlights of cars with a special grill that threw down the beam from the lights.

Gas masks were required to be carried, but I do not remember if this requirement lasted
throughout the war.

To save fuel (coal), bricks were placed each side in fire grates and soil was moulded into a ball shape to be placed in the fire as they glowed and threw out heat.

Servants were gradually called-up to do "war work" in factories, other occupations or into the forces. We managed with just our dear old devoted help.

People took on extra voluntary work. My father assisted in administration of the distribution of petrol. My mother helped at the St Christopher Orphans Home on the Warwick Road.

To eke out one's petrol ration, many people used bicycles. On a Saturday night we would cycle for an evening meal at "The Oak" (managed by the Bussi's) in Solihull, or even so far as "The Engine" in Hampton-in-Arden.

At the start of the war, my mother remarked prophetically "Things will never be the same" - so true! They never have been.

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This story was contributed by Solihull Heritage & Local Studies Service, Solihull Libraries. It was originally contributed to Solihull Heritage & Local Studies Service's collection in February 1995.

This story was included as one of many reminiscences in "Solihull in Wartime" edited by Sue Bates and originally published in 1995 by Solihull Libraries & Arts.
The booklet is now out of print but available electronically on Solihull Heritage & Local Studies Services web pages at: www.solihull.gov.uk/wwwlib/central/infols/localstudies.htm

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