大象传媒

When war broke out I was five years old. I was evacuation to Summer Layton, near Lowerstoft, with my two brothers and older sister.

I was born in Dagenham. In 1939 we got on a ferry boat called the Golden Eagle at Dagenham Dock to Lowerstoft. We were put into a school and we slept on straw for three nights awaiting billets.

My mother brought us home after three months and then we were evacuated again to Hungerford for about a year. The she brought us home again and then we went to Wales for the rest of the war.

I remember having a good time in Wales. The people were good to us and my brother had to go to hospital for appendicitis when he was 8 and everyone was very kind. We were in a place called Ferndale.

Back in Dagenham I remember going into the air raid shelter when the German planes were bombing and seeing the parachutes come out of the planes. The fighter pilots came and machine gunned the road and I heard that they killed a milkman. In Paslows Park where we used to play, it was all full of trenches so that gliders could not land on it. There was also a gun site there as well.

I would never like to see war like that happen again in Britain.

In the morning I used to go and collect shrapnel from the bombs.

Today,July 10 2004, I have with me a postcard that was sent from my Mum to my father. It was sent in about 1942-3.This is what it says.

" Dear Sam. Just to let you know I arrived quite safe. We had an air raid warning today on Sunday it did not last long. I hope you are not having any raids. Don't forget to send me that money as I am broke. Keep well. I will be home Monday. Love from us all, Jane. " xxxx ( Sent from Hungerford to Dagenham )

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