大象传媒

My memories of the war are somewhat limited as I was only 6 months old at its outbreak. My father was called up into the RAF when I was about 18 months old, and Mother and I followed his postings until he was sent to Malta where he remained during the seige. I still have one of the scraps of paper on which he drew a picture of himself riding in a Gharri (horse carriage) I also remember another of his pictures showing himself naked (rear view) with a scorpion commenting on his white 'bot'.
I lived for most of the war with Mother in Belvedere - near to Woolwich Arsenal - and recall spending nights in the Anderson shelter in the garden. This was a corrugated iron tunnel about 7ft square covered with earth and fitted with bunks for sleeping. Even now, the smell of damp earth makes me shudder - and the sound of the Air Raid siren still has the power to paralyse. From time to time we stayed with one or other set of grandparents, one on the south coast near Brighton and the other in Dartford. The Dartford ones had a cellar which was our shelter, equipped with emergency rations - one tin of Horlicks tablets to be shared by three adults and a child! Grandfather was an air raid warden, but I don't remember him ever having to perform any duties.
I have some more vivid memories. On one of my first days at school, I had just arrived when the siren sounded and just stood terrified until scooped up by a teacher and taken to a windowless room called a crush hall. Another time, Mother and I were at home when a 'doodlebug' (the pilotless plane packed with explosives) stopped overhead. Mother pulled me to the floor of the hallway until we heard the explosion 1/2 mile away. While staying with the S.Coast Grandparents I saw the marks on the road left by many tanks - the build-up to D-Day.
The ladies of the village often asked me what I would say to my father on his return, and being a logical child I replied that I would say "Hello Dad" - which I did and reduced him to tears!
I was on the coast in May '45 - brother was imminent - and can remember Churchill's broadcast announcing cessation of hostilities in Europe and walking along the road next morning to see al the flags and bunting brought out from hiding places to celebrate.
My final memory is of the huge bonfire on Bostall Heath to celebrate VJ day with people forming a great circle and dancing round it and three month old brother sleeping through it in his pram.

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