大象传媒

when the first V2 rockets came through Kent the government evacuated all children and mothers. My father came from Taunton, so the three of us, my mother, my sister and I travelled down to Somerset. My father was an armature grinder and worked for the railways, (a reserved occupation), so he had to remain at his post in Kent. In addition, he served as an ARP warden. Down in Taunton, my sister and I spent a very pleasant quiet time, relatively insulated from the war. Here, the shelters were brick surface shelters and were used relatively infrequently. There was an American army barracks and the GIs used to spoil us; arranging parties; supplying us with chewing gum and chocolate etc. To celebrate V.E. Day, the American troops organised a street party for the local children. The whole road was closed; people danced and it was an "all day and all night" affair.
A couple of weeks later, we moved back home to Kent. Our home was in a poor condition, with windows cracked and ceilings down. My father had made up stout boards to put inside the windows to guard against flying glass, but nothing could prevent the damage. I found it difficult to settle back into school in Kent. In Taunton, it had been very different. I had attended a country school with one large class of children aged five to thirteen or fourteen years old. Once back home, I returned to a larger school with separate classes and a very different atmosphere. As a child during the war, I didn't appreciate how serious the danger was or the extent to which my parents tried to protect me. Even so I still feel a frisson whenever I hear a siren let off.

John Atkins

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