大象传媒

Mavis was in North Devon on a family holiday when the start of the War was announced. They immediately packed their suitcases and returned to London. Her new school in Lewisham was evacuated, so instead she went to a convent school at Bromley. Her Father's office was evacuated to Barnet, north of London, but t he family stayed in their home in West Wickham and he came home at weekends.

On her tenth birthday, she remembers three men arriving to build an air raid shelter in the garden and they gave her a 'twist' of sweets (wrapped in paper, twisted to hold them). They slept in the shelter for 18 months in the London Blitz ~ they had bunks and their Mother slept in a deck chair. She can also remember sleeping under the living room table. One night water began seeping in so she and her brother ate chewing gum then sealed the hole with it.

During the Battle of Britain fighter pilots went in and out of Biggin Hill aerodrome. Mavis remembers standing on the air raid shelter and seeing flames coming out of the back of planes and a 'bubububu' noise and her brother saying "There're not normal planes" ~ they were the first 'Doodlebugs'. When the noise stopped, they glided down and exploded. Once a fire engine was hit and all the men were killed. They also saw their first land mines being dropped from planes by parachute. On her cousin's wedding in November 1942, the first V2 landed on New Cross.

During the Blitz, Mavis remembers seeing a big red glow over London and hearing the drone of planes. They would see the search lights then the guns went off to shoot bombers down. The house next door had a direct hit ~ fortunately the house was empty but the bath was left hanging out at the time it would normally have been occupied. In the semi the other side the man was asleep on the hearth-rug and the gas fire was blown over him, but he survived.

On D Day, at the age of 14, she was cycling with a friend and came across Canadian soldiers sheltering in Spring Park woods with vehicles and 'ackack' guns, ready to go across the Channel. They asked if her Mum could make some tea, which she did.

On VE Day there was a party in the road with a bonfire. On VJ Day she was staying with a cousin at Forest Row in Sussex when soldiers came into the square and announced the news and there was great excitement.

Other recollections are seeing fighter planes going out of Biggin Hill and returning rocking their wings for however many planes they had shot down. She remembers being in their garden and seeing a German pilot parachuting down onto the golf course (looking the shape of a gingerbrea man) and the LDV (Local Defence Volunteers) picking him up. The LDV would practise on a Sunday and once tried to rescue Mavis out of her bedroom window. (See also ~ Eric Carter)

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