大象传媒

As told to Sarah, aged 7:

I was 3 1/2 years old when the war started. I remember standing in the queue waiting for my gas mask, not really knowing what it was for. My mother explained to me that she thought I might be able to have a Mickey Mouse gas mask. I was so excited, I prayed that I would be able to have this very special gas mask. It was so important to me. I couldn't wait for it to be my turn. Unfortunately, when we finally got to the head of the queue, I was told I was too old to have the Mickey Mouse type. I was so sad and very disappointed. I had to make do with a very ordinary one in a boring brown cardboard box. Later on, at school, we had to take our gas masks with us every day and if we forgot it we were in trouble! We dared not leave them at home!! After all that, throughout the war we never ever had to use them. Later, I realised gas masks were issued in case of poisonous gases being used by the Germans.

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