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Carol and her brother John were evacuated with her mother (her father was in Germany, Holland) to Calford, from the East of London, Forest Gale. They were lined up and they were dressed in siren suits — mother had made them out of blankets!
Her mother used to play the piano for a service men’s club. We used to go with her and my brother asked to sing “I belong to Glasgow!!’ At the end of the night the servicemen used to pass a hat round and take up a collection for Marie Harvey. My brother cried wanting a dolly, but we couldn’t afford one so one day my mother wrapped a glass candlestick in a towel and gave it to my brother, who took it to bed, fell asleep and rolled on it. He still has the scars today — he’s 64 years old!
I remember the letter arriving the one saying dads coming home! And the look on my mums face said thank goodness he’s safe. We moved back to forest gate and were allotted a council house. A year later my little sister appeared!!
The day he came back we were told he was coming in the morning and we sat and waited for him because we were so excited. But he didn’t arrive so mum sent us to bed that night. The next morning mum came into our room and told us there was a surprise for us in the lounge — and there was my dad!! (De-mobbed in may 1946 — he was in the royal core signals, attached to the 45th highland division, he was a corporal). Dad brought me a dolly with flicky eyes and my brother a woden tank with sweets!!!

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