大象传媒

What a long time ago it now seems since the 1940's Blitz on London. My sisters and I living in a large Victorian house, looking through the top bedroom window while incendary fire bombs were dropping on London Docks. As a young girl, my Dad said, "Take a good look and remember it, I hope you never see this sight again". As far as the eye could see, The River Thames was one long sea of flames, towering well above Tower Bridge and Big Ben, London was well and truly burning.

As a family we slept for over six monthes in an Anderson Shelter in the garden, due to the heavy bombing by the Germans. Our house was number three and after number five there was suddenly a large crater where the other thirty houses had stood. My Dad slept in his own bed during this time. Luckily he always wore a woolly hat on his head under the blankets which may have saved his life, as one night the whole sash window fell onto the bed. Peter our wired haried terrier white dog was transformed into a black soot one. Once we had cleaned him up, he was happy, as he didn't have to bark to be let out of the door. He just jumped through the window, as it was minus any glass.

The gas and electric were cut off, we had a handful of coal. My Dad acquired a primas stove and petrol, after nearly blowing the remains of the house up we did get a cup of tea. He also found a door, from the bombed houses along the road, slung it over his shoulder and got stopped by a policeman, who asked, "Where are you going with that door, you've just knicked?" My dad told the truth and said, "My kids are cold, I am going to light a fire with it".

I often wonder how we survived, but we did manage a few laughs. Like when my sisters and I queued up for herrings, which were not rationed. The fishmonger put them in our hands as there was no paper to wrap them up in! We walked home with one herring in each hand. The dog also had a feast, as he ate the heads with gusto.

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