大象传媒

Looking back over the war years we are the generation who have the sharpest memories of so many events which affected our growing up years. Probably, like myself, so many of us were just leaving school or about to be evacuated to safer parts of the country in anticipation of the expecting bombing of London. Many of those memories will always live on in our minds. While the boys joined the armed forces, many of the girls were expected to help the war effort by working in factories or other suitable occupations. Since my two brothers had volunteered for the RAF, my parents would not permit me to join the WRENS as I had hoped. Consequently I was sent to a local factory. In my case, I was sent to a local GEC factory making valves for radio location. This was an experience in itself apart from becoming an efficient glass blower, it was an education in itself. I didn't know how naive I was until I heard many facts from women from all walks of life of the men in their lives and even stories about parts of the body that well brought up young ladies had yet to learn.

Most of us left school at 14 and further education was rare. Few of us thought about going to University and looking back I can't recall if I was clever or had special talents since, unlike today, few children left with degrees. Girls were expected to work in an office or a shop until we got married. When I think back about those days I often wondered what standards I could have reached in other circumstances. The one conclusion I came to was not just what we learned from books, but life itself.

Our parents standards were what we expected to live up to and to learn what was right from wrong. It wasn't until I was 60 that I realised that there were so many things one can start learning and everything began to be a challenge. I was fortunate enough to have travelled to the continent before the war and over the years have travelled to 75 different countries. Looking back and meeting so many different people and places was an education far more lasting than anything I may have learnt from school books.

At the time we were living in Ealing W5. Our family had moved from South of London in 1934 and for those of you who knew the area it was like living in the country. The North Circular Road was more like a country cycle lane with fields on either side and there was no Hangar Lane station until after the war. We had to walk for an hour to go to classes. In fact many of the family referred to us as the relatives in the country. Fortunately, it was just outside the dangerous part away from the main bombing area of London.

As teenagers, our social life was mainly the youth clubs connected with all the area schools. One of the most popular were the YI clubs and the headquarters were at Woburn House in the West End. I was on the committee at Ealing YI and for some time Social Chairman and many of us intervisited with other branches when there was anything special on. Like many of us it was the main contact for Jewish youth and many romances came from those beginnings. I was also on Head Office committee and towards the end of the war was Forces Welfare Chairman. I corresponded with many of the boys stationed overseas, keeping their families up to date with news. I also wrote a Forces Welfare column in the YI magazine. I also volunteered as hostess for the Stage Door Canteen, the main social contact for the boys on leave and posted far away from their family home.

As the war progressed and the Americans arrived many of the big hotels in the West End were taken over by the American Red Cross for US servicemen who were stationed or spent their leave in London. I had to admit that in spite of the bombing we young ladies did enjoy the social side of this "work" and it was quite an education for us too. Over those years we met many Jewish GI's and as a senior hostess made a point of connecting some with Jewish friends and families. Of course, like many of you I had my share of romances and proposals and even marriage proposals from homesick and lovesick boys.

The main point in this story concerns one group of US airmen in particular, they were all New York Jewish airmen stationed near Cambridge, who used to spend their leave in London and stayed at the Washington Club where I was working. They were all Brooklyn boys and in fact I still have photos and letters and even marriage proposals. My father was very strict and although he had met them there was no way he would allow me to marry a Yank and move to the USA. In later years, on a visit to American relatives, I found out that some lived nearby and a meeting was arranged. Coincidentally we both had 14 year old daughters. He had a beautiful wife and I wasn't sure that she was very pleased with the reunion. They had a home like I had only seen on TV, such as the Ruby Wax show, all the furniture was covered in plastic. We did keep in touch for a while and strangely we had both kept photos of each other and I still have in my memorabilia box letters of proposals, perhaps vanity on my part. The reason for bringing up this story was rather unusual events which gave pleasure to many war orphans. When this group of Jewish boys came on leave to London they were part of a group who "adopted" Norwood Orphanage. Some of the other Jewish hostesses accompanied them on these visits and they were wonderful to the children. They had arranged "Hay Rides" for the children and us adults too. You may have seen in the pre-war old movies country folk would pile the children on these carts filled with hay for picnic parties. They also brought with them loads of nosh and other goodies for the children, a real treat for them in rationed England. The whole experience for them was amazing. In fact a while back I had occasion to speak to someone at Norwood and was interested to know if there was anything in their archives covering this period and started to think about what happened or where any of these children are now, maybe even living in Bournemouth. Sadly recent circumstances in my life the past couple of years put everything on hold. However, having realised it is time for me to catch up on started projects, I have now contacted the lady in charge of the archive department and she is going to look into this for me. It would be quite interesting if something turns up.

Our generation has seen so many changes and I am also making notes for my autobiography. The main reason being that our grandchildren are unaware of changes that we have seen and in my own case I have seen and done so many things that my grandsons are beginning to ask about in comparison with modern day life. However intelligent they may be I suppose they look at us and think that we may be old if we have passed 50 and really can't imagine that we were ever young enough to have gained our knowledge from our actual experiences. Many of us now have time on our hands to pursue such as U3A and various other courses that we may have thought were beyond us. My friends tease me when I use the phrase "If you don't have a go, you'll never know" or "If you don't use it you'll lose it".

In our working years and with children to care for we had so many commitments and little time to think about things we wish we had done. This I started thinking about when I was 60 and realised it was never too late. I think most of us went through the years of voluntary works, the League, Wizo and various other committees, and now was the time for new ventures. Probably why we appreciate the wonderful work of so many of the volunteers in our day centre, who put in so many hours to make Monday our special day of the week.

My first challenge when I went to start learning again was in Harrow where I saw a big advert about a new course in sewing. When I spoke to the teacher she explained that this was a three year City and Guild course and I could even teach with that qualification. I never dreamed it possible to do that but decided to have a go. There was a great group of "girls" in the class and after twenty years we still have regular reunions with the girls and three teachers. I don't think any of us thought just how many avenues were open to us or what we would achieve. I think we all have some hidden talent and it's wonderufl that our generation had these opportunities.

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