大象传媒

It was Coronation Day and our road was holding its party. It was the women's race and I was encouraged to race to make up the numbers, although, weighing fifteen stones no one was taking bets on me. The race started and 1 led from the off, much to the amazement of all the neighbours, but of course they were ignorant of who had taught me to run like that. When I got my breath back 1 explained how the Luftwaffe had taught me all 1 knew about running way back at the height of the blitz in Birmingham..... and now I will tell you!

At the height of the blitz my gran was looking after me, my younger brother and two boy cousins whilst my mother and Auntie Olive worked at the B.S.A. and my father and Uncle George were in the army. Because I was a girl I had the job of trawling round the shops during the two-hour dinner break searching for any bargains. One day coming home my gran met me at the top of the terrace with a bag and some money and said run up to Mills on the Coventry Road, I've heard they have oranges. So off I charged, with the thought of a juicy orange spurring me on. When I got there, about half a mile from my home,l couldn't believe the queue, but of course I waited.You just did and hoped! I knew time was going on but I was getting nearer the head of the line, of course we didn't know if we would be served because the oranges were unucithe counter and there was no telling when they would run out. Then it happened the manager walked down the queue and said 'That's it!'and stopped in front of me. ' Oh no I thought, I am staying put even if I only get a mouldy one'. All the rest of the people behind me moved away and some of the kids shouted 'You ll be late for school if you don't come now" but I ignored the lot and stood there willing God to let me have at least one orange. At last, 1 arrived and the assistant who knew me from the many times I had queued over the years said" Im sorry they have all gone'. 1 just stood there looking at her my red nose and blue lips showing how cold I was, 'Wait a minute, give me your bag' she said and went off round the back of the open-air shop, she came back and said 'That's the best 1 can do. Don't open it just give me the money and get off home'. I didn't need telling twice and virtually flew home. My gran grabbed the bag and pushed me up to the table 'Hurry up or you will be late for school and will get into trouble, eat your dinner as quick as you can". That was not hard to do as 1 was always starving and there was never enough to fill me.

I ran up the terrace and came on to the road, it was absolutely deserted. The road I lived on stretched for about a mile, or so it seemed, with a park at the top, then about a quarter of a mile of houses, then the school and then more houses stretching into the distance. 1 lived just down from the park so had only a short walk to school. As far as I could remember this was the only time 1 had seen the road so deserted. Obviously everyone was in school and mothers'back home and, although,there were two small factories just above the school they too must have been in work.

1 started to run down the road when suddenly I heard the whine of an aircraft I stopped and looked up and as 1 hadn't heard any sirens I expected to see the the three rings of the RAF, then realized to my horror the 'plane wing was showing the black cross of the enemy. For a second or two 1 was transfixed with horror thinking the 'plane was about to crash on to the road then I heard itl I was no stranger to dog fights by 'planes in the sides above Small Heath and had often heard machine gun fire, but never directed at mel I turned and fled. Where I was standing gave me no protection at all, there were just closed doors. no entries, and my only escape was to get to the school playground and hide behind the shelters. Unfortunately, all the entrances to the shelter were on the playground side I heard the whine of the aircraft getting louder and knew he was turning for another go, with the walls of the shelter coming closer I ran faster and faster and then heard the sound I was dreading, machine gun fire! Behind me I could hear the bullets pinging into the walls of the shelter and just prayed 1 would reach the open space where the school gates used to be before they were sent to be melted down for the war effort. At last I flung myself round the corner and curled up expecting at any minute to feel the bullets biting into me. The shooting stopped and I heard the fighter zooming off in the distance. Feeling very shaken and upset 1 took myself into school and reached my classroom. I knocked on the door and was told to enter. My teacher asked me why I was late and when I told her I had been queuing for oranges for my gran and it had made me late for school and I had just been machined gunned by an enemy plane all she said was 'You better make sure you're not late for school again then you won't be on your own outside againl Sit down and get on with your work."

I never knew if the pilot was playing a game with me, or if he had tried to kill me, but 1 learnt at that very early age that the body has enormous reserves of energy and when it's needed it can be called upon. So now you know how the Luftwaffe taught me to run! The orange which wasn't much bigger than a clementine was divided into four and it was scrumptious and it had no mould!

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