大象传媒

I was 3 when the war started, 8 when it finished, so just odd memories.

I remember the VE celelbrations well. A few days later the children had a party arranged at Whitley Common in Coventry in a tent. There I saw a conjuror for the first time. I can still remember how magical and unexpected this was, and the lovely food not seen before.

We dug up the lawn and kept chickens 鈥� who became personal pets. When it was time for them to go the milk lady took them in exchange for a deceased one but I expect it was the same one really!!

I was evacuated privately, to North Wales 鈥� Dolgellau, Beddgellect, Llewing, Portmadoc and then to South Devon, returning to Coventry in 1943.

I remember picking roships which were collected and made into rose hip syrup to give to children, delicious.

In Coventry, after the Blitz, I remember Rose Bay Willow herb growing over the bomb damage and although a weed I have always had a soft spot for it.

I remember collecting the weekly rations from the local grocery store, the assistant reciting 鈥淪ugar, Butter, Marg, Lard, Bacon, cheese鈥� as she packed them up. I still recite that as I make my shopping list adding 鈥渂read, eggs鈥�.

My father, Lt. Cdr William Frederick Weller, was killed 6 weeks before the end of the war, on arctic convoys, described by Churchill as 鈥渁mong the worst conditions in the world鈥� having survived the Atlantic convoys. I, like Eddie Grenfell on page 20 of the Big lottery fund book, 鈥榬emembering the war鈥� feel there should have been an arctic medal. The government have promised an arctic badge this year at last, but it should have been a medal long ago.

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