大象传媒

I was 2 weeks old when the war started, living in London with my parents & my older brother. Obviously I cannot remember much of the earlier years, but towards the ned of the war I can clearly remember certain things. We lived in Paddington & my father was in a reserved occupation. He had tried several times to join up but was refused. He wanted to "do his bit" so he joined the Auxilliary Fire Service. We had an Anderson shelter in the garden of our house, & I can clearly remember when I was about 4 years old, hearing the air raid sirens & mother quickly gathering us & some blankets towards the back door & into the shelter. I can remember it being very cold & dark & quite frightening for a young child. However Mother tried to make it better by telling stories & singing songs to us.
My Father was very rarely with us as he was on fire watch most nights. I have a treasured photograph of him in his AFS uniform with his colleagues in the service.

Barbara Hurley (nee Mitchell)

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