大象传媒

This story has been written onto the 大象传媒's People's War site by Sandra Ramsay on behalf of Joan Brown. They fully understand the terms and conditions of the site.

At 13/14 years old war was just a word. But it soon became an experience!
The first time it became reality took place in 1941/2 when my father sent me to buy a newspaper. It was a lovely, bright morning and I set off down the hill from my home to the shop at the bottom. I bought the newspaper and turned to leave the shop, becoming aware of lots of noise from outside - screams and shouts and a peculiar rat-a-tat sound.
Full of innocent curiosity I stepped out to see a plane flying down the hill at house height, literally shooting his machine gun from side to side and just mowing people down.
I stood quite transfixed with horror and fear as it came closer and closer to me. Then my arm was grabbed and I was pulled back into the shop by the newsagent who had also come out to see what was happening.

This was just the first incident when my life was saved in the following dreadful years of war.

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