大象传媒

As a child in the second world war I was to see and suffer fear, but one thing that has remained with me was how humour could overcome that fear. So with that in mind, I have often found the following event in the war invariably raises a laugh, when recounted to friends and family.

It was late august 1942. I and my elder brother had returned from evacuation as it was now deemed to be safe to return, the Blitz over. This had coincided with my father being granted to the tenancy of a council house under the national scheme introduced after World War One - "home fit for heroes".

On the day of the event we were in the midst of the preparation of moving. Moving is always nerve jangling and especially so during war time. My mother had as much as she could stand; my nochalant attitude to it all did not help. I happened to ask her if I could have one of my toys. She replied that it had been packed and told me quite sharply to go out and play with the boy next door.

Play turned out to be cricket, one bat, one ball, two players. We were enjoying our game when we heard cheering, yes cheering. People were coming out of their houses to see what the hullabaloo was about. Then we saw it, coming towards us drifting very slowly - a barrage balloon, its restraining wires clanking over the rooftops, cheered on by a crowd of followers, mostly children and their mums.

To me barrage balloons were friendly flying elephants who were tethered for our safety but always wanted to be free to roam the skies at will. So if I thought that, then the cheering followers of this escapee did the same.

I did follow for a short distance, but returned home, mindful that the alert may sound at any time and if it did, it would have been the last straw as far as my mother was concerned if I couldn't be found.

Over the years I've often pondered the fate of the balloon, for I have never read or heard a word of the event. Maybe it is a state secret...

Finally, my mother always said that the balloon's release was an act of sabotage, explaining that being housed near a balloon showed the Luftwaffe that nearby was a target worth bombing.

Above witnessed by Frank Schofield
Aged 7 years

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