大象传媒

Let me paint you a picture of the first day of war. I was eight at the time -- living at home in Bexley, Kent, with my parents and my younger brother, Michael.

It was a beautiful sunny Sunday morning. I was in the garden helping with the gardening. And then, I remember looking back towards the house, and there was my mother -- standing at the door with a teatowel in her hand, and a very serious look on her face. I'll always remember that detail -- the teatowel in her hand! She asked me where my father was. We all went indoors to sit down. She told us we were at war -- she'd heard it on the radio.

I knew at that age this was bad. I wasn't happy. Soon afterwards, the air raids sounded -- we knew it was the air-raid signal because they'd been playing it on the radio, so we'd know what it sounded like. My mother was to be very matter-of-fact in the years to come. This, after all, was her second war.

THIS STORY WAS ENTERED BY JOHN YOUNG OF 大象传媒 SOUTH EAST TODAY, ON BEHALF OF MARIE HELYAR. SHE UNDERSTANDS THE SITE'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS.

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