大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Kathryn Haslam of CSV Media on behalf of Sue Shields and had been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Sue Shields' father was too old to be called up but joined upa after being married in May 39. He joined the RAF in May 1940 on his first wedding anniversary - which upset Sue's mother. He was immediately sent away for UK training and then to East Africa and saw action in North Africa. There was contact from him via letters until he was captured an an uncertain date (~42 - 43?).

Sue's mother was alone and used to go to an air raid shelter with her parents who lived nearby and she knew all the neighbours. There was a young woman whose husband was unfit for service and they talked one day in the street and the neighbour said "I dont know how you cope with your husband away - I couldnt survive without my husband". That night there was severe local bombing and the next day they came out of the shelter to find the block of flats where the young woman lived flattened and the young couple dead - they were very young in their 20's.

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