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"This story was submitted to the site by the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Peoples War Team in the East Midlands with Ernest Sturmans permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions"

My name is Ernest, I live with my Mum, Dad, Two Brothers and Three Sisters. We have just moved to a newly built 3 Bedroom House, with a Bathroom and Electric lights. Our old house, had gas lamps and an outside toilet.

We are a happy family, living as best we can until the war was declared 3rd September 1939. Our peaceful life was at an end. We quickly learnt about air raid sirens, blackouts, rationing, sweet rationing, gas masks, identity cards and air raid shelters.

I did not go to school, too many children in a school, was a big worry to parents. If a bomb during an air raid hit the school, children could have been hurt or even killed. So what happened was there was groups of children, about 8 or 10 not related in anyway, were taught in Church Halls, Private Houses, Parish Halls etc etc.

After a period of time, Brick Air Raid Shelters were built in school yards and we all returned to proper school. The teachers were mostly retired people, who had returned to teaching for the duration of the War. The teachers are very strict, any misbehaving and its the strap or the cane. In the event of an air raid the whole school quickly evacuated to the air raid shelters. We would sing songs, for example ‘Ten Green Bottles’, ‘One man went to mow’ and Land of Hope and Glory.

All food was in short supply, ‘Dig for Victory’ the poster would say. People were told to grow as much food as they could, gardens, playing fields, most open spaces were under the plough. Horse drawn of course. The factories on War Munitions belched out smoke everyday, thick yellow fog was what we had to live with, but then if it was thick smog the enemy aircraft couldn’t see us, which made us feel safer. Then the essential works order came into force. Young men were called up for the armed forces, young women over 18 were called up working in factories, Wrens, Waafs and the womens land army. Every person had to do his bit, even school children. From 1941 o 1943 school children worked on the land instead of going to school. In the Autumn we picked potatoes and were allowed to do work to help the war effort. At the age of 14 years, I left school and went to work down Bestwood colliery. At the wars end, the country was very happy, parties in the streets, dancing with joy and the street lights were switched back on again. How strange it was to see lights in windows, shops and buses.

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