大象传媒

I remember a man named Jonah living in a hut in the paddock. He did odd jobs around the place. He did not have anything to do with us, he was a quiet, sullen man and never spoke. We children were not allowed to speak to him. I wonder now if he was a conscientious objector.

We had a Mrs Sands and her daughter living with us. Her husband was in the army. I think she was supposed to help in the house, but I don鈥檛 know if she did, I don鈥檛 remember that she did. Her daughter did not play with us and I remember thinking her spoilt and envying her the toys she had.

Mother was in the Red Cross and drove an Ambulance. They were very heavy to drive and she said at first it really pulled on her arms, tummy and back muscles. She said she enjoyed it and it gave her great satisfaction to know she was contributing to the war effort. She would be called out at night as well as in the day and needed a good knowledge of the area as there were no signposts and they were not allowed to use the full lights on vehicles.

She saw a side of life that she was not familiar with. I remember her horror at going to a family where the tenants had just had bathrooms added to their houses and this family kept the coal in the bath!

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