大象传媒

In 1939 I was working for the Post Office in London, in 'telecommunications'. I lived in digs with a family, and on September 3rd. at 11 o'clock we gathered around the wireless in the front room to listen to Neville Chamberlain make his announcement. Almost at once, the sirens went off and the landlady, in particular, was very shocked. She turned white, ran into the garden and was violently sick. We expected the worst.
I was in a reserved occupation and although I sometimes felt uneasy about this, I never encountered any hostility. I was training staff and lecturing them in telecommunications. The Post Office was unable to recruit staff, and was losing many because of conscription - so training for existing staff was very important.
For six to twelve months, little happened. There were regular air raid and fire drills. At night I was often on fire watching duty, although we had little equipment. This time became known as the 'phoney war'. It was a strange period, when we lurched from tedium to anxiety. The 'Blitzkrieg' was expected.
My family and my fianc茅e lived in Corbridge and I came back once a month by train. This was quite an undertaking. Once, when travelling back to London, an air raid warning went off in Newcastle Central station. The train set off, but then stopped on the High-Level Bridge. The atmosphere in the carriage was very tense. Another time, I bought a newspaper to read on the train and saw that France was about to surrender. Now what would happen? After the fall of France we fully expected an invasion.
My father also worked in telecommunications and because of this we had a phone at home, which was unusual. People now would find it hard to imagine just how difficult communications were. News came via the wireless (radio) and newspapers. Letters were very important for keeping in touch.
I married in 1942. The wedding was very basic because of food rationing, and my bride was unable to have a new outfit. Toasts were drunk in coffee!
The first night of our honeymoon was spent in York. It very nearly didn't happen, as when we got to the railway station I couldn't find the tickets and had to empty my suitcase. Fortunately I located them. However, when we reached York, I stumbled over a paving stone in the blackout and came a cropper. Not a good start. Next day we went to Buxton where we spent the rest of our honeymoon.
Because of the bombing in London, we moved to Otley in Yorkshire, and had a furnished house near Ilkley. Our two sons were born there. Later we were relocated to Wembley, in north-west London. Conventional bombing had stopped, but soon the flying bombs (or 'doodlebugs') started. You recognised these by their characteristic sound. They flew low, and the engines were intermittent. When the noise stopped altogether it was time to watch out. Once I saw one go overhead and then come back again! The steering mechanism had gone wrong. We all threw ourselves to the ground.
There was a rumour at this time that a V2 rocket had hit a tube station, but I don't know if this was true.
VE-day saw fireworks and celebrations. The recent terrorist bombings in London, where my grandchildren now live and work, have revived those feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. I had hoped they were gone for good.

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