- Contributed by听
- Rainbow
- People in story:听
- Allan
- Location of story:听
- County Durham
- Article ID:听
- A2042380
- Contributed on:听
- 14 November 2003
LEND TO DEFEND THE RIGHT TO BE FREE-
From 1941 to 45 I remember running from school on Fridays at 4 o'clock, having a quick tea and; regardless of the weather; touring a large part of the village, with my mam, selling savings stamps and trying to persuage the regulars of out SAVINGS GROUP to buy stamps everytime there was a special drive:- like "HELP TO BUY A SPITFIRE"
DIG FOR VICTORY-
a) Having a love for gardening even at 11 years of age I had my dad break up the concrete in the back yard, finding soil from the local allotment holders, and growing lettuces, potatoes and onions to help the war effort.
b) Taking great delight in being chosen at school in the months of September and October to be taken by bus, or farm cart to the fields in the country to help the farmer with his potato picking. No pay but a bucket of potatoes each day to take home for my mam.
PUT THAT LIGHT OUT-
Being adventurous when an air raid took place over Tyneside, I slept in the attic of a colliery house (1 up, 1 down) and used to lift up the window in the roof (not daring to show any light) to watch searchlights 15 miles away seek out enemy bombers and if those same bombers came inland to hear the rattle of machine guns and the thump, thump, thump of the mobile anti-aircraft guns.
Like all children we "enjoyed" an airraid. If it took place during the night we were allowed to start school at 10 o'clock. If it took place during the day we went to the air raid shelters and if we stayed over 3/4 of an hour to get a stick of barley sugar.
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