大象传媒

I was born in Christchurch on October 18th 1935 and my sister marie was born on February 20th 1933, when I was 4 years old and Marie 6, the second world war began. Our father was called up as were all eligible men, he joined the Royal Airforce ground team which were responsible for laying makeshift runways for aircraft, and a lot of time was spent in Germany, Holland, Belgium and France. When it was realised that Hitler could invade the South coast at any time, Hengistbury Head, and surrounding areas could be one of the targets, our parents decided it would be better for our Mother and us two small children to pack up and move to Bromsgrove to be with her family.

As clothing was rationed, we were issued with clothing coupons, for a few items only so Marie and I had our skirts made out of old coats other people had finished with. A vest was an essential item as it was so bitter cold in the winter, with several feet of snow. Many times Uncle George, Mum鈥檚 brother had top dig a way out for us before we could walk to school. Having asthma very bad my gasmask was different to all the other childrens, like a Mickey Mouse mask which I found very embarrassing, but we had to take them everywhere with us.

鈥he cakes were made with dried eggs, I remember they always tasted the same no variety at all, but were eaten after bread and butter and home made jam every tea time, at least it filled us up. Apart from a cocoa at bedtime that was it until morning. Sometimes we had lovely fresh lardy cake when Uncle George was able to bring some home from the bakery where he worked; it was a real treat! Porridge was the normal breakfast.

Uncle George was in the Home Guard, which was a voluntary military force recruited for the defence of the United Kingdom during the war. Everything was rationed, we were only allocated 6 ounces of sweets or chocolate a month, I usually chose sweets as chocolate went too quickly. I do remember queueing for some nice buns with a ration book at Wimbushes, a bakery on the High Street; they were lovely.

Mairie and I remember having to run over the road to a neighbour鈥檚 garden to their air raid shelter as the siren had sounded which was an awful noise. It was what we had to do in case the German planes overhead dropped any bombs. The shelters were dark damp places, and all houses had blackout material up at each window for curtains as no light had to be seen by the enemy; also no street lights were able to be on as the raiders would then know it was a populated area. The planes made an awful droning noise which was really scary.

Marie says she used to see prisoners of war working in the fields behind Aunty Louise鈥檚 house which was at Rockdene, Highfields, Bromsgrove. She recalls service men being wheeled around the town for an outing in wheelchairs with arms or legs, or both in plaster. They were from a nearby hospital or building converted for that purpose to nurse American servicemen.

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