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Staffs County Council libraries, on behalf of the author, have submitted this story. The author fully understands the rules and regulations of the People’s War website.

ELSIE FORGETS HER TEETH!
We never had an air raid shelter at our house during the whole period of the Second World War. This meant my family had to share our next-door neighbours, Mr and Mr Jones’ shelter, when the sirens went off. My elder brother always refused to come with us and preferred to stay in the coal house or in his bed!
I can remember being about 10 years old and ushered down the back yard at night, when the sirens were heard and then being passed over the hedge to the safety of our neighbour’s shelter.
This particular night Mrs Jones must have been caught unawares! I can remember Mr Jones’s shouting to Mrs Jones: ‘ Come on Elsie — Hurry up.’ Elsie was in quite a panic and haughtily replied ‘I can’t come — I’ll have to go back! I’ve forgotten my teeth! To which Mr Jones’ replied: Never mind your teeth Elsie — They’re dropping bloody bombs — Not pork pies!
Elsie had to come with us to the air-raid shelter, minus her teeth, that night.

A GOOD FIGHT!
I remember when the war started; I was aged nine at the time. I was in my house and my friend knocked on the door and said: ‘The war’s started! I’d already heard this news announced on the radio and just thought, as a child, there’s going to be a good fight!
I didn’t have any idea of what war was all about. I remember feeling a bit afraid, because I didn’t know what was going to happen.

A SCARY TRIP TO THE LIBRARY.
I used to go to Newcastle library, when the war was on. I went with my friend Joe Griffiths, who was twelve, two years older than me.
I remember on one dark early evening, when the sky lit up with incendiaries. I was so frightened I was crying, but Joe said; ‘Get down in the gutter and stay close to the ground.’
I must have stayed in that gutter for about five minutes and then everything went dark again and we carried on our way to visit the library.
I also remember being stopped from flying my kite one day, by a policeman. He warned me to 'leave off' till after the war was over.

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