大象传媒

It was my 2nd Birthday on the day War was declared, 3rd September 1939.

My father worked in a Government Stores Depot, I have no memories of playing with him, he was always at work. I had four older brothers, but they were all too young to be in the services.

My memories of the War are mainly small incidents.
I can recall having to have a Mickey Mouse Gas mask around my neck when I went out.

Occasionally at school we would queue up to be given a spoonful of cod liver oil and malt. I looked forward to this as we had no sweets and it tasted like toffee.
Sometimes we would have to take a jam jar to school and were given a small amount of cocoa to take home.

I recall the day when men came to our house to remove the iron railings on top of our front wall and the front gate. We were told this was required to make military items.

I lived near a farm, a land girl working there was called Lesley. Sometimes on the way home from school she would stop her truck and give me and my friends a lift home. We thought this was great because there were no cars to get rides.

Sometimes when the Air raid warnings sounded we would leave our house during the night and go to the fields nearby. I can also remember the Search Lights that were based in fields near us.

I recall the arrival of American troops. Every house was expected to take someone. Because of our large family this was not possible.

The Blake Hall in Bridgewater was the main hall for dancing and I can recall the talk that went on of fights on Saturday nights between the locals and the Americans.

I have always retained the memory of the smell of the empty American cigarette packets 'Camel'. We thought it great if we found one at the side of the road.

We had a Morrison shelter in our dining room. It was used as our table and shelter.

I remember putting a stamp on a bomb that was placed at the Cornhill in our town centre. It was to help pay for the war effort.

We had a fancy dress parade at school and I was dressed as a 'Doodle Bug'. It must have been towards the end of the war.

When the war finished we had street parties and a big bonfire at the Fairfield. Placed on top was 'Tojo'an effigy of a Japanese military officer.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.