大象传媒

On 3rd September 1939 the whole world changed and would never be the same again. A man called Adolf Hitler decided he wanted to rule the whole world. He made a start on his plans by sending the German Panzer Divisions into Poland.

I cannot speak for other people. I can only try to tell what it did to my life and feelings. I was 17 years old on 19th of that month and, as I was too young to join one of the services, I became a Telephonist working at an ARP post. In other words, it was known as Air Raid Precautions and was based at Jesmond Dene House, which was at one time the home of the Noble family.

We didn鈥檛 have many air raids initially, but this did not last long. The German air crews aimed their bombs at shipyards, but many times the bombs fell short and landed on civilian areas, causing death and mayhem. A landmine fell on the area where I and my family lived at the time. My family being Mam, Dad and my younger brother, Joseph, with our much loved pet dog, Pat. After the blast, which was terrifying, we found we had no windows. They had been torn out by the blast. We were in total darkness of course and when we found we were all right, not injured in any way, we looked for the dog, which was under the table. Quite safe and sound. We were all covered in soot.

I had been getting ready to go on nightshift at the time, so I carried on and ran as fast as I could through all the noise and chaos. When I reached the dugout, which, as it had been snowing, was difficult to see, I ran right over the top and went head first into a pile of snow. When I finally got into the dugout, I realised I was covered in snow and soot. I remember some wag saying 鈥淐rikey, are they dropping bags of soot?鈥� Even in the darkest moments, there is always someone to bring a smile.

I was eventually moved to the control room, situated in the Pilgrim Street Police Station and which was a hive of activity as the air raids were getting more frequent.

At this time, the telephones were very overworked. When this happened, a number of young boys were ready and willing to go on their bicycles through the streets risking life and limb to get messages through to the rescue services. To pinpoint the area where they were needed. No mobile phones in those days! I think these lads were very brave and should have been honoured in some way and I still think so 鈥�. It鈥檚 not too late.

On 7th July the following year, I joined the WAAF and became Aircraftswoman C Trainer 2110143. After a few weeks at a reception centre and another few weeks at Morecambe by the Sea, I was introduced to drilling and marching about; being shouted at by drill instructors. As it was July, there were quite a lot of holiday makers about. I often wonder what they thought when they saw us racing around the promenade like demented elephants! I still smile when I think about it. Anyway 鈥� we all survived.

After this, I was posted with others to HQ 11 Group Uxbridge. There I reached the dizzy heights. I became a Leading Aircraftswoman C Trainer 2110143 and was given a little badge in the shape of a propeller to sew onto my sleeve.

The change was now complete. No-one to make nice dinners, do my washing and ironing or just be there when I came home (just a Sergeant and I will pass over that without comment!).

Then the war 鈥渉otted up鈥� as they say. I was stationed just a few miles from London and life got very noisy indeed. The operation room I worked in was underground. It was a blessing at times to go down 鈥渢he hole鈥� as we called it, to the peace and to get away from the noise of the guns and bombs.

Then came the battles; so many of them. Dunkirk, France, Britain, The Desert, Tobruk, El Alamein, Italy, Greece and many more. My eldest brother Jack was involved in the fighting in the Middle East and then up through Italy where he was mentioned in Despatches and was presented with the 鈥淥ak Leaf鈥�. My brother Tom went over to Europe on the second day of the D-day landings and both brothers survived the war.

When I think back I can still see the eager young friends I made and lost, with their shining eyes and such hope for the future. I can see them taking off in their Spitfires and generously giving up their lives and future hopes so that we could live in freedom and whenever I think of them the tears fall as they do now whilst I write this. It is not easy to convey to people of today the sense of comradeship and support we gave to one another. Boys and girls alike. Because that is what we were. Nowadays we would be called teenagers. I have not met their like since.

In Arnham in Holland there is a field and in that field is a simple monument to the 1st Airborne Division who suffered such terrible casualties when they parachuted into this field. On the base of the monument are a few words from the Holy Bible. These words sum u all I feel, not only for those who gave their lives at Farnham, but for all those who died; because without their sacrifice I would not be sitting here typing this. The words are:-

鈥淭hey shall mount up with wings as eagles鈥�

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