大象传媒

I was 17 on 1st September and war broke out on the 3rd. I well remember sitting on the front steps of our house with quite a few neighbours around. We were listening to the radio waiting for Chamberlain to tell us what Hitler had said. We heard those awful words 鈥淲e are at war鈥�. I think that we were a little stunned at the news. A good many of the parents in the road had sons soon to be called away to the armed services. We were in for a lot more difficulties as the months went by.

I remember the big raid on Coventry; the night was bright moonlit and suddenly, there was a mighty explosion in the back garden. I look out onto the gardens below me but there were no gardens. It looked like someone had ploughed the whole lot over 鈥� no sheds, no fencing, nothing. For my dad, it was a very unhappy time; his little fish pond, not very big, all done by his own hand, had disappeared. His one little fish was lying dead. Dad was always pulling peoples鈥� legs and when he saw the St. John鈥檚 Ambulance men, he called them over to attend to a casualty. They crossed the road with their stretcher and, when they saw dad鈥檚 fish, burst out laughing. They were rewarded with a cup of tea. Some time later a neighbour鈥檚 fire wouldn鈥檛 burn and smoke filled the house, would you believe it, it was dad鈥檚 fish pond stuck in the chimney.

The war brought many experiences such as fire watching and giving blood at the hospital but few more sad than when my husband to be sailed for Burma. He was wounded and came home and we were married on 23rd June, 1945 but, after being home for three weeks, he had to return to Burma.

On V.E. Day, there were parties in the streets. I was glad that there was peace in Europe but my heart was breaking, wondering whether my husband would come home safely. He did. We were very lucky.

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