- Contributed byÌý
- Bromley Museum
- People in story:Ìý
- Edward Roy Skinner
- Location of story:Ìý
- Bexley, London and Lower Fold, Yorkshire
- Background to story:Ìý
- Civilian
- Article ID:Ìý
- A2796870
- Contributed on:Ìý
- 30 June 2004
This story was submitted to the People’s War website by Annie Keane of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ on behalf of Edward Roy Skinner and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.
Warm shrapnel
I was a war baby born in 1939, we were living in Albany Park in Bexley. We lived in a small road and I can remember the lights and the noise of the doodlebugs. One of my most vivid memories is the fear that my mum had about the doodlebugs. When the sirens went off we went into a shelter in the garden. With the doodlebugs, you heard the noise of the machine, it stopped and you just had to wait to find out where it was going to land. One landed about half a mile away once. My brothers used to go out hunting the streets for shrapnel which was still warm. I remember I used to ask them for it and the feeling of warmth from it in my hand. I remember that an old lady in our street got hit by shrapnel one night.
Our new home
We were evacuated from Bexley Heath in 1942 or 19433, my mum took us to the school. I was with my sister who was 3 years older than me. I can’t remember anything about the journey away from London. We arrived in Huddersfield and sat in a school hall and people just picked us out. They picked my sister out and I was left I started crying, so the family said ‘We’ll take him as well.’
The family lived in a small cottage. They had no electricity or running water, they cooked on a range. It was a real change from our house in Bexley which was almost new. I remember that me and my sister used to go to bed with a candle in a little holder. We had a nice time and they really looked after us. My mum visited us once at Christmas.
We’ve been back to visit the village, Lower Fold, but the house is probably gone and we couldn’t find the family.
Coming home
The war ended and I remember coming home with a WVS lady and I didn’t realise where we were. I remember when the war ended and we could get sweets and ice cream again.
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