大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Marianne Shields for Finedon Mulso Junior School on behalf of Velma Munns and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Munns fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

When did the Second World War start?

The second world war started on the third of September 1939.

How did it start?

Hitler invaded other countries before us and we joined to help defend the others. But Hitler declared war against us.

Who was it against?

Germany 鈥攙ersus England ,France, Belgium the Netherlands and Czechoslovakia. Then the Italians came in on Germany鈥檚 side attacking Greece. America came in when Japan joined Germany against us.

Who died?

Many who were around in the bombs were killed.

Where was the war?

On the continent, Burma, North Africa, Italy, Greece etc.

What did you see?

Soldiers arrived in Finedon. Canadians came first, Inns of Court regiments and many more.
Also we had evacuees from London, and the free French came to live at Finedon Hall.

What did you hear?

Tanks rolling by, air raid warnings and planes crashing from local aerodromes.

How did you react?

We had to adjust to it all. We shared our desks at school, our homes with evacuees and in the early days of the war soldiers.

Were any of your family involved ?

I was the youngest of eight in my family, and the only one at home. I was nine. The others played some part; my lovely brother was killed whilst serving with the air crew.

Did your lifestyle change?

Yes I had to grow up years before I should have.

In what way?

I left school at fourteen and took a full time job to release for war work. My
Husband, who was a year younger than me, went to work on a farm, the Round House up Thrapston Road, when he was only 9-10 years old.

How and when did the war end?

The war ended 8th of May 1945 for Germany and August 1945 for Japan.

Did you celebrate?

Half of the people didn`t because the reality hadn鈥檛 really set in. That my beloved brother would not be coming home again.
And it was sometimes before the other members were released from their duties. One of my sisters lived with her police man husband and they were bombed repeatedly. So much that her 2 little boys came here for a few weeks and she was left to cook on an open fire for herself and her husband and 6 other police men.
The others who did celebrate, danced in the streets and held outdoor parties. We got rid of our shelters and blackout curtains, and switched on the lights again.

Any other memories?

In 1942, a German plane came down in Thrapston Road Finedon, after machine gunning in Irthlingborough Road. Every person in the plane was killed and they were buried in Cranford cemetery. Some years later, around about 1970, an unexploded bomb, was discovered at Thrapston Road. The bomb disposal team came to defuse it. When they had safely completed the task, Whites, the fish shop as was then, supplied them free of charge with a fish and chip supper for the entire bomb disposable squad. I could fill a book with memories of the war. Already I have forgotten to mention, the WRVS, the air raid wards, special police, fire watchers and the auxiliary fire service and many others. It did not matter how long the air raids lasted in the night the people in those services still had to go to work as normal. The next day the school children were allowed to go home a bit earlier.

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