大象传媒

My earliest memory is September 1st. 1939, the day war started. I was 6 years old and lived in Parkwood Road in Neepsend. When the sirens sounded for the 1st time we met with the rest of the residents at the top of the road. As children we were scared and we thought that the Germans were going to attack us immediately.I was a pupil at Hillfoot school, 2 minutes from home. The large school bell used to summon us to school but one day it was silent as it had been taken away to be melted down to make munitions. After 60 years I can still hear that bell and I do miss it.
When the air raids began we went down into our cellar which had been strengthened. We could hear the bombs exploding and it was very frightening. It went on all night and Neepsend, being an industrial area, was badly damaged. During the raid a large gas tank exploded and 2 men fought and put the fire out. For this brave action they received the George Cross. The next day across the road was a large crater where a house had been. 15 people were in the house which received a direct hit and all of them were killed. I walked to town with my father and saw all the devastation. Trams were burnt out, buildings were in ruins and still burning.We were given gas masks and had to carry them at all times. I still remember the strong smell of rubber that they had.
Most people weren't well off, we ate ok but there wasn't much money about. Food became scarce and ration books were introduced. You only got a small amount of cheese, eggs, and meat with the coupons and sweets virtually disappeared.
Though times were hard people tried to enjoy themselve and lead as normal a life as possible.There was a cameraderie and a spirit amongst people, everybody pulled together to help each other.
My mother's brother, uncle Stan was a hero to me, he'd fought in the Burma campaign and come through it unscathed. Because there was no work available he joined the Army before the war started and used to stay at our house when he was on leave. I loved him, so brave and fighting the enemy. Uncle Stan was staying with us in 1944 when he received orders to report back for duty,(it was rumoured that the Army were going to invade occupied France) he was worried that he may not return. On the 6th of June it came on the news that our troops had invaded France which came to be known as D Day. Some time later my mother had a visit from the war department to tell her that my Uncle had been killed on the fist day of the invasion. I cried then as I cry now thinking of a brave man, understandedly my mother was inconsolable for some time.
Somehow I passed my 11 plus and went to a so called "posh"" school. It was here I saw a biro for the first time, it seemed so strange after using pen and ink. There was an outbreak of scarlet fever which affected most of the local children. We were sent to Lodge Moor, an isolation hospital and on arrival we were each given a number This number were printed in The Star (the local evening paper) so that our parents could read about our progress.
There were a lot of American soldiers in Sheffield at this time, some were black. This was the first time that I'd seen a black man apart from on the pictures. The Yanks were very good to us kids, we used to say to them "have you got any gum chum?" and they always gave us some. To us they seemed so different and always had plenty of everything - good clothes, food, chocolate and cigarettes. After the Battle of Britain and the German Luftwaffe were defeated things did get better. People went out drinking and dancing , watching cricket and football. It was difficult to get around the country as all the signposts had been removed to confuse German spies.
Even though there have been warring factions around the world, I believe that the 2nd World War changed the World forever.

Story by Joe Canetti

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