大象传媒

We experienced the sound of the German planes droning overhead on many occasions as they made their way to bomb Sheffield. The Clay Cross Works sirens would warn us of an air raid, then my mother would gather us all up and we went inside a walk-in pantry in the dark. We'd all get on one small mattress and slept until the 'all clear' siren sounded and it was safe for us to come out. My father was called out on Home Guard duty when not at work.

Our village was bombed - my mother said it was probably a stray that was meant for either the coke plant or the railway sidings. The houses hit were near my school and several were destroyed, killing the families. I remember one baby survived because the pram had been placed under the stairs. The family living next door to us had lost relatives in that raid.

Because my parents had a spare room the council billeted two families of evacuees from Islington with us. That meant two adults and two children which was a tight squeeze!
The boy was very naughty and I remember him he once had a tantrum and slit the back of our leather settee. My father was not pleased! The girl was very thin and frail and went to school with me, whilst the boy was bout 4 years younger. I also remember that the girl's mother was always comparing me to with her daughter and she interfered with the way my mother dressed me - mainly because I was a bit of a tomboy! The ladies husbands also visited from time to time. Eventually they moved back and my parents kept in touch with the girl and her mother after the war.

I also remember girls in my class at senior school who had lost members of their families, including one girl who was orphaned. I've always fortunate not to have lost any members of my family during the war.

"This story was submitted to the People's War Site by Keith Ruffles of the CSV Action Desk on behalf of Vera Sadler and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions."

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