大象传媒

I was thirteen years old when the war started in 1939. I was the oldest of seven children then. Three more children were born into my family by the end of the war making ten altogether.
It was hard to live during the war. Food was in very short supply and everybody had to queue up at the shops for food as it came in.
Lots of people worked in munitions factories in Kirkby. I remember when I worked therein the factory canteen. I was a cashier. I really liked that job. It was a very clean job where I got to meet lots of friendly people. I was able to enjoy good hot food at a cheap price. Workers in munitions needed to eat good food to keep strong and work hard to help to win the war.
I spent any spare money I had on clothes. I needed coupons before I could buy anything.
I loved to dance. I went to all the local church dances with my fiends from work or friends who lived by me. I loved the big bands that used to play. I really loved to sing. All my family loved to sing then and they still do now. I remember all the songs that Vera Lynn and the Andrews Sisters used to sing.
Stockings were hard to come by during and after the war. When I was able to afford to buy stockings to wear I always felt well dressed and good about myself. I never permed my hair when I was young. My hair was naturally curly. I always had long hair then. People always told me and my Mam how lovely my hair was.
We had some really good times in the war. We lived by making the most of everything we had, which was not very much at times. I was very young then and had my whole life ahead of me. When the wart ended we still had to have ration books. There were no jobs and money was very short.
I got married at the end of the war in 1945. I鈥檝e got four children, lots of grandchildren and even some great-grandchildren now.
This year (2005) I will celebrate my Diamond wedding anniversary.
The war seems a long time ago sometimes, but I remember lots of things that happened as if they were only yesterday.

鈥楾his story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by 大象传媒 Radio Merseyside鈥檚 People鈥檚 War team on behalf of the author and has been added to the site with his/ her permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.'

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