大象传媒

I remember going through central London during the Blitz with some dolls in a pram on the way to be evacuated to Yorkshire. We were billeted with a coal miner鈥檚 family, who kept coal in the bath. My Mum was pregnant with my sister at the time. I was 4 years old but we returned to London within a year.

At 7 years of age, I recall queuing for 3 hours waiting for the shop to open, just for the possibility of buying a cream cake. I lived in the East End of London, very close to the dockyards. We went to bed each night not knowing how many houses would be left standing the next morning, after the bombing raids. One day my friend asked me if she could ride my bike. I told her that she could do so tomorrow but, for her, tomorrow never came as she was killed in an air raid that night. Something I have regretted for the rest of my life. I was lucky as we were bombed out only once badly enough that we couldn鈥檛 return home.

My father was in the Navy. He was home on leave and wanted to go into the school鈥檚 air raid shelter. I do not remember why now but we did not go. The shelter took a direct hit and everyone in it was killed. However, whilst still on leave, my father became ill and died of cancer never having returned to the Navy because of the illness.

I had a cousin who used to sleepwalk. One night whilst doing so she took her younger brother into the shelter although there was no raid on at the time.

The rationing had a great effect on everyone. My mother used to swap our tea and sugar coupons for butter ones which meant that we always had butter. Similarly she would buy clothing coupons to obtain material to make all our clothes.

At the end of the war, in common with many other people we had a street party to celebrate.

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