大象传媒

These recollections were told to me by Mr Fox鈥檚 sons, Barry and Raymond, at Old Harlow library during a 大象传媒 Essex story gathering session
These are Ray and Barry鈥檚 memories of their family and of growing up during and after the war years, and their proud tribute to their dad.

Dad (Leonard Albert Fox)
Dad was in the Pioneer corps, 256 Company, the largest section in the British army. Although he wasn鈥檛 on active service these were the lads who had to do the hard work, digging ditches, repairing roads and airfields. He was in the 2nd front, D Day landings. At some time in 1944/45 dad went missing in France for about 5 or 6 days. There were no road signs, he was missing for days and finally finding a caf茅, his platoon were so hungry they all dived in. Well eventually the sergeant shouted 鈥榗ome on, lets go鈥� 鈥� the whole platoon rushed out and poor dad was left to pay the bill for the whole lot of em鈥�

Dad had fond memories of those years, especially after the war when he helped to rebuild parts of Europe. We have lovely photos of orphans in Lubeck, Germany, he helped to build play areas, schools, orphanages etc. He loved children and wanted to help rebuild what had been destroyed.

I remember when we lived in Villiers road, Willesdon, NW2, dad was home on leave at the time and the end of the street got bombed. There were people trapped in a house and mum tried to stop dad from going in to rescue them as they were still incendiary bombing, it was too dangerous but he wanted too help, he was a very caring man.

Mum (Kathleen Fox nee Clarke)
Mum wanted to forget the war years, I can remember that we lived in a two story house, and when the air raid shelter was delivered for the whole house, the people downstairs said that it was only for them and wouldn鈥檛 let her use it. They used to try and hit the railway which was close by as it was used by troops.
One funny thing, mum started smoking while dad was away. She told us that one night she was exhausted, Raymond was a baby and lying beside her, she lit a fag and must have started to doze off. Suddenly she felt a SLAP on her face which immediately woke her up. She always swore that her mum (who had died many years before) did that to wake her up and save her life.

Raymond
I would have been about 3 years old, I liked to put 78鈥檚 on for my mum and aunt. I was in the middle of changing a record when suddenly mother threw me under the utility table, saying 鈥渋t鈥檚 a doodlebug鈥�.
I remember my dad coming home (after the war had ended) he had become quite militarised and he knocked on the door like thunder. I shouted 鈥淚ts me dad, its me dad鈥�. I was a very poor eater, but I sat on his lap that day and scoffed my food and his.
I remember powdered egg, powdered milk, big tins of malt, 鈥榁itrol鈥�, it was full of iron and very sweet. I remember when I was due for my first jab they had to chase me round the clinic. Finally they caught me and bribed me with a sweet. The lady was called Dr Mckenzie and many years later she recognised me as the little boy she had to chase!

Barry
Although I wasn鈥檛 born until 1946, I can remember my granddad telling me about when a bomb fell on Ladbrooke grove gasworks. He said you could read your paper by the light of its fire for days after.

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