大象传媒

I grew up in Shirley, between Croyden, Surrey and West Wickham, Kent. After returning from evacuation with my School to Hove, Sussex when France fell, I watched the Battle of Britain, saw bombs leave a German aircraft to fall on Biggin Hill airfield, smelled the timber burning in Surrey Docks 11 miles away and helped to clear the fallen plaster & window glass into the road outside our home after a bomb fell on the kerb of the road behind us. The glass doors of my bookcase still show the nicks where flying glass hit the doors. When I reached the age of 16, I volunteered to become a fire watcher, but was only allowed to take the first shift up to midnight.

In early 1944 I was invited to join the cast of the West Wickham Operatic Society, which was putting on 鈥淗.M.S Pinafore鈥�. In due course the first night came and orchestra and chorus were going well with 鈥淚 am the monarch of the sea鈥�, when our producer, who served full time in Civil defence and always wore a uniform, came on stage to catch the conductor鈥檚 eye and stop the performance. He then announced that the Air Raid warning had gone, something unusual was coming over; members of the audience could leave if they wished, but the show would go on. The show ran for its allotted time, but that was my only appearance with the society. Rehearsals were moved to Saturday afternoons, to which time I had moved the meetings of my Brownie Pack, which of course had to come first.

V1s and 2s continued to come over and it was with great joy that I watched two spitfires come from either side and shoot one down. The Home Guard did a great job removing broken window glass and covering the gaps with waterproofed calico, which let in a certain amount of light but kept the weather out.

I went up to London on the evening of V.E. Day and saw the Royal Family come out on the balcony twice 鈥� we were so jammed against railings that we couldn鈥檛 move. Then up Fleet Street towards, where a search light crew were directing the beam to the cross atop St. Pauls鈥� 鈥� a real sign of hope. Back to Croyden on the Milk Train in time to go to work, for it was a National not a Bank Holiday.

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Anastasia Travers a volunteer with WM CSV Actiondesk on behalf of Barbara Fuller and has been added to the site with her permission. Barbara Fuller fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

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