大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Arthur Robinson with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

When war broke out I was 11 years old living with my mother and father, 3 sisters and 1 brother in Heanor in Derbyshire - Stainsby Avenue. Two of my brothers had joined the T.A a month before the outbreak of war. I remember being at home on the morning of Sunday 3rd September listening to the radio when the Prime Minister announced the outbreak of war. My dad was a miner at Ormande Colliery at Loscoe so wasnt called up although he'd fought in the 1st World War. He was a 'fire watcher'.

My brothers joined the TA as they were told they would get a holiday out of it! One of them went to France to fight about 6 weeks after the outbreak of war - he was in the Sherwood Foresters.

I went to work down the pit - Ormande Colliery - at the age of 14. There were some 'Beavin Boys' at the pit who were drafted in to produce coal. I heard that some from other pits killed themselves as they hated the job so much.

During the war all the street signposts were taken down which, combined with the blackout, meant I'd often get lost at night. Iron railings were removed and melted down and we'd look for aluminium pans which would be melted down to make airplanes.

Beer was rationed during the war and we'd get word that a barrel of beer had arrived at the Red Lion in Heanor. People would queue up as soon as word got out and the barrel was soon dry.

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