大象传媒

Teenager from Country to London.

I was still at school when war started and living in the country meant that we did not feel the full impact right away and life continued in much the same way as it had always done. A Home Guard unit was formed for men not going into the Armed Forces but, like most of the other units in the country, they had no uniforms or weapons.

The Seaforth Highlanders were stationed at the newly built school nearby and soon began to organize dances there. At fifteen I had to ask permission to attend as long as I had a friend to go with and even then my uncle, or another relative, always came to fetch me home. We certainly didn鈥檛 have the freedom accorded to fifteen year olds today. A Czech army unit came to a neighbouring village and they were soon part of our social scene even though we were always closely chaperoned.

One piece of excitement came one Saturday morning when a German plane suddenly appeared out of the blue and machine-gunned the Model Laundry and Smith鈥檚 Iron Foundry and narrowly missed the two fuel storage tanks to the left of his path. The plane was so low I actually saw the pilot who eventually came down on Prees Heath and was taken prisoner. Everyone assumed the pilot had lost his bearings and this was a last gesture before he ran out of fuel. A couple of Land Mines were also dropped in the vicinity, happily with no loss of life.
The drone of heavily loaded planes could be heard at night on their way to bomb some large city and, sometimes, we could even make out the telltale glow of fire in the sky far off.

When I was seventeen I was given the option of leaving High School and going into the Forces or to the Royal Ordnance Factory near us. My parents chose the R.O.F. 35 where I started work in the wages department of the Administration building. The work was interesting and my companions friendly and although I had to live away from home during the week I enjoyed the change. Once a week we worked overnight and moved into the factory itself for the wages pay-out.

After a couple of years I was offered a transfer to the Ministry of Supply in London and, as I was assured of a home with family friends, I accepted.
The office I worked in was formerly a large private house in Lennox Gardens off Cadogan Square and not far from Harrods. Each morning I caught a No.14 bus to Kings Cross, took the tube to Sloane Square and walked the short way to the office. Life was vastly different in the city and I missed the natural friendliness of country folk.

The friends I stayed with had family near Ellesmere and even though she was in her late sixties Mrs. D. made the railway journey regularly to see them and always came back loaded with goodies. Money for the purchases involved a very special procedure. Mrs.D. sat with her legs up on a chair while Pop bandaged the notes round both legs which were then covered with her lisle stockings. She was never in danger of being robbed, but I bet it was very uncomfortable.
Being part of a family unit, of course, meant I was never alone. Also my Mum and Dad were able to visit me on occasions.
I never personally experienced any of the horrors that befell London but I saw much of the destruction that had occurred.
I was, however, actually there to join in the celebrations that marked V.E. Day which was an occasion I will never forget.

Barbara Healey. 24th.October 2005.

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