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This contribution to WW2 People’s War was received by the Action Desk on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Norfolk. The story has been written and submitted to the website by Jane Bradbury (Volunteer Story Gatherer) with the full permission and on behalf of Joyce Hulks.

When the war started in 1939 I was twelve years old. The first thing I remember was the ‘Phoney War’ — nothing seemed to be happening, and I remember wondering if it was all a hoax! I believe the siren went but no planes came. I was living at Carshalton Beeches, Surrey, at the time.

When things got going it was a different story. The blitz was quite horrendous. We could see the red glow in the distance from the fires in London. My father was in the Home Guard and they practised in a park nearby which was their headquarters. One man was killed by a live hand grenade.

During the blitz we had an Anderson Shelter in which we slept at night. It was NOT very comfortable! I accidentally caught a mouse, but let it go!

I remember Dad taking me outside to see dog fights, planes very high up scattered all over the sky. It was quite a sight. I am afraid, being young, I had no fear and it was all an adventure. My mother was very nervous and anxious.

I believe it was at this time we were issued with gas masks. At school we had gas mask drill and had to put the gas masks on and they were most uncomfortable.

After a few years, during the Doodlebug time, we must have come back to Carshalton Beeches. I was 16 then or thereabouts and worked at the Borough Treasurer’s office in Sutton, punching cards. I cycled to Sutton each day and ‘Doodles’ were coming over all the time. We would wait for them to stop, get off our bikes and wait for the bang. At the office we young ones had to go to the shelter. Also we had National Milk Chocolate and I loved it. Many things were in short supply; bananas didn’t exist. Hair clips were rare and I remember rushing to Woolworths to get a precious card of clips.

During this time I was called home one day from work as a ‘Doodle’ had dropped very near and Mum was up to her eyes in soot and glass which I helped to clear up. She was in a bit of a state, but was kept sane as she helped with the wounded. We had lots of ‘Doodles’ near, as they were trying to hit Croyden Aerodrome which was highly operational during the war. One ‘Doodle’ hit a maternity hospital at Sutton on my cycle route.

Dad went to London each day to work in a bank. One day the train he was in was held up by a signal near Clapham Junction. Just then a V2 was dropped at Clapham Junction in a Woolworths. Lots of people were killed, but not Dad owing to the signal holdup. My father’s bank was eventually evacuated to Beaconsfield, Bucks, and we followed to Hazlemere, Surrey and stayed at my cousins.

When I was about 14 I joined the Womens Junior Air Corps. I loved it and it was the next best thing to joining the main services. We learnt about bombs, different types of gasses, aircraft spotting, Morse and first aid. We were drilled very thoroughly by a Home Guard officer with a loud, booming voice! We went on marches and learnt how to use guns — no bullets! I still have the ‘Rules and Regulations’ booklet and some notes I took. The General Headquarters was 19 Berkley Street, London W1.

One thing I do remember, everyone was so helpful and there was a great feeling of comradeship. We were all in it together.

I am not quite sure when it was, but I went to an evening class for typing and cycled a fair way. It was near the aerodrome. We, of course, had to dip our lights and I believe I put tissue paper in mine, red at the back. I had to glue my eyes to the white line, it was very tricky .

My sister and brother, younger than me, were booked to go to America, but as a ship was sunk with lots of children lost, the American trip was cancelled.

We had utility clothes during the war and they were not very elegant. Oh, I crocheted a pullover of many coloured wools, and also made a yellow blouse out of parachute material which lasted for ages.

I hope this overall picture of my life during the war is useful. At the time I had no idea of all that was going on. Churchill, of course, was very much in evidence. At the end of the war I was dancing in the streets and hoping to get a boy friend! I really was a bit naïve.

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