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A REAL WARTIME BABY

Although I was only fiver years old when the war ended — I was born on 6th June 1940, at the time Dunkirk was relieved, some things really stick in my mind. Like when we went to Cripplegate Park to see an aeroplane, it might have been a spitfire, and we saw a barrage balloon high in the sky.

I think I had a ‘Mickey Mouse’ gas mask, and I know the baby had one, not a ‘Mickey Mouse’ one, but more like a box, with clear perspex lid so that the baby could see out.

My Dad and Uncle both worked at the ‘Meco’ in reserved engineering work.
When the bomb dropped on Meco, I think I remember Dad coming home covered in little spots of blood.

My other Uncle, Dad’s brother, always remembered my birthday, even when he was evacuated from Dunkirk.

We were in Derby when the war finished, and a large bomb was dropped on the Post Office (a V1 or a V2, I think), and then there was lots of waving and dancing.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by June Woodhouse of the CSV Action Desk at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Hereford and Worcester on behalf of Ann Rees and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions

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