大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Samuel Henry on behalf of Audrey Atkinson and has been added to the site with his permission. Mrs Atkinson fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

When war was declared it wasn't expected, but little did we think it would last nearly six years. In preparation we were issued with an Anderson shelter which my Father had to erect in the garden and he then kitted it out with candles and some items of food and drink.

When the air raid siren sounded we had to leave our beds (as it was mostly at night) then out to the shelter, sometimes for a few hours until thankfully we heard it was 'all clear' and could go back to bed again (as you can imagine we never felt much like getting up to go to work). It was really nerve wracking, having the German planes overheard, and wondering where the bombs were going to be dropped, and a very dear relative of ours lost his life when his home was demolished by a land mine.

We always had to be sure that the blackout curtains were drawn, so that no lights were showing outside, and none in the streets - yet in spite of always having to walk around in the dark, there very rarely seemed to be any trouble as there is today. There was a great spirit of comradeship, and even though food rationing was a problem we managed somehow with what we were allocated. Really on looking back it was a very healthy diet even though we did have a good grumble sometimes, at the lack of somethings.

I think that one of the most upsetting things that happened was the fact that for the sake of safety so many children had to be evacuated from the cities and moved to the country, which must have been a big wrench for their parents.
There was also the constant worry about what was happening to the people away in the armed forces. My husband was in the RAF - i worked in the local shipbuilding offices in a reserved occupation but there were Women away in the armed forces and land army. I did fire watching and any free time, I helped out at the forces canteen serving meals to members of the forces stationed locally.

We didn't have TV then but enjoyed listening to the radio and also to the cinema, we had a car but were unable to use it as petrol was limited. We got around by walking, using the bus or trains - and in my case cycling to work (although sometimes I would have to take a detour due to unexploded bombs en route) The roads were always busy with cyclists instead of all the cars of today but at least it probably kept us fit.

What a wonderful day it was when finally it was all over and peace was declared. Looking back I know that we had to go to war to defend our country from Hitler, but with so much loss of life it is tragic that these things can not be settled peacefully.
Thankfully we never needed to use the gas masks which we were given and had to carry around with us. The thought that poisoned gas might be used didn't bear thinking about.

Another problem that we had was clothes rationing and everyone had a book of coupons and again had to manage with them. I remember knitting a jumper with a great many tiny balls of darning wool (as they weren't rationed) and nothing was wasted that could be used for something else. A pair of my husband's trousers became a pinafore dress for me (even though it probably wasn't the height of fashion) but our motto at that time was to make do and mend and we survived thankfully.

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