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The heady subject of feminine pulchritude was beginning to grace our lives when we spoke of the park and the swimming pool. I wonder what Jean Dowe is doing at this very moment.

On hot summer's days the pool was truly packed. Mostly with mums and of course teenagers. Of these, a golden couple fill my mind’s eye, I say golden because, having spent their waking lives at the pool they were tanned. He, a deep film star mahogany, with dark ‘Elvis’ looks and the build of Tarzan. When Harvey Scobie made his racing dive from the pool side, he first struck the water almost a fifth of the way across. Travelling like a racing hydroplane, Johnny Weissmuller could not have matched his speed. But I can tell you one who could, on a good day and that was ‘Nita Wingrove. They were the ‘Golden Pair’. She, of the long natural blonde hair, a figure that even today makes me smile and gently shake my head. She too was tanned of course. Hers, a lighter shade, more feminine as befits a ‘Goddess’. To see the two of them race each other across that pool was a thrilling sight. Were we all taken with her? I reckon we were, as were all who saw them. I think that our gang, probably aged around eleven at this time were starting to get the feel of what life was all about!

I remember also, that when the school was ‘rocketed’, Bushell’s sister, whose name but not her stunning looks escape me, took to giving the gang some schooling until the official building was made available again. We couldn't get to ‘lessons' fast enough and even wanted to continue over the weekend. I wonder if the dear girl eve made a career of such a talent.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Raymond John Lawrence M.B.E and has been added to the site with his kind permission. Mr Lawrence fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Continue reading Mr Lawrence's story by clicking below:

• 1) At the beginning…
• 2) Life in the shelters
• 3) ‘Our Gang’
• 4) We barely made it
• 5) We kids were all pretty well behaved
• 6) We had our fair share of attention from the Luftwaffe
• 8) An evening’s entertainment
• 9) The ‘Underpant’ Episode
• 10) Where did I fit in?
• 11) The School Song
• 12) I wonder…

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