大象传媒

Leila Roberts was 2 years old when the War started. She lived with both her mother and father on their small chicken farm. As soon as War was declared, Leila's father was called up. This was hard for Leila's mother as she had to bring up Leila and her brothers as a single parent. Her mother started working at a munitions factory but the Goverment sent her home as she had to bring up very young children and her skin was starting to turn yellow.

Leila lived in Rawdon, Leeds, she then moved from Rawdon to Horsforth. She only ever remembered four bombs hitting Leeds. Occasionally she was frightened but she was too young to understand and thought that the War was just a game - a big adventure.

The only bad memory Leila had was when her friends locked her in a deserted shed when the sirens went off. They told her that Hitler was going to come and get her. After they heard Leila crying with fear they let her out.

Leila was never evacuated but her present husband was evacuated to Collingham, near Wetherby. They weren't evacuated to a farm or any other working area they were just evacuated to an ordinary family house but came back within two years.

Everything was rationed e.g. clothes, food, petrol etc. Petrol was only allowed for people such as doctors. Food was in short supply and you could only have one egg a week, 3-4 rashers of bacon for a family of 5, and no butter. Because Leila had a small chicken farm and her auntie had a pig farm, Leila was one of the lucky people with regard to food. You had to be very economical and any peelings were given to the animals to fatten them up.

At school, pupils were given cod liver oil to keep them healthy. Leila had never seen large children and she used to feel hungry a lot of the time.
Some children could not go to school because they had no shoes. When it rained or snowed, children were taken home by parents. The school hours were 9-4.

Leila could remember the times that you had to wear a gas mask and liberty bodice. Liberty bodices were thermal vests.

People didn't have televisions so, like most people, Leila and her family listened to the radio for progress on the War and entertainment.

Leila's father worked in the coal mines and later joined the Forces. Her mother lived in Portsmouth and went to work at the age of 13, as a nanny.

Leila hated the Anderson shelters. Their Anderson shelter was built at the back of a shed in the garden. She hated the damp and cold and having blacked out windows. However she did get used to it and understood about the War a lot more as she became older.

Leila used to go and visit her Grandma in Portsmouth. Her Grandma had her own vegetable garden. Leila's Auntie was evacuated to Leeds from Portsmouth which was bombed.

When the War had ended, Leila's father received a silver button with King George's head on it to show what he had done. When Leila's father returned from the War he would never talk about it or watch it on the television.

Leila was seven and a half when the War ended, she remembers the street parties but her family just had a "get together". She also remembers the queues for bananas and the sound of choirs singing. Leila was very happy.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.