大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Richard Jackson on behalf of Joan Sonnet and has been added to the site with her permission. Joan fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

My story is that of a child's observations of war in Portsmouth. I was 5 when I heard Chamberlain announce the war. I stood on an air-raid shelter to watch the Battle of Britain. I saw the Guildhall blazing. I witnessed the embarkation of the soldiers from Southsea Beach in 1944 to go to the D-Day landings.

I have many separate stories, including a short spell in Liverpool when HMS Barham was refitted. My father, Will, sailed on her never to return. I witnessed King Haaken and family from Norway being brought to the UK on a hugely damaged warship (The Warspite?). My mother's brother, a Royal Marine, was on board and we had a family reunion at the docks.

I recall watching the VIs going over our house and hearing the American's had captured the silos near Cherbourg which stopped them coming to the UK.

I remember seeing Italian and German POWs and realising they were young men and not monsters.

My mother and I were bombed out twice and spent 24 hours trapped in the air-raid shelter.

I have many other memories but I'd rather not record them, as writing is a chore now I am 70. I also had the biggest bag of shrapnel and metallic shaft in the whole road!

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.