大象传媒

I was born in woodbridge - 1938. In 1939 - start of war I lived in a village called Burgh, my father was unable to join the army due to having asthma, but being a bricklaying builder he had to leave home and go to london, and live in lodgings. As hospitals were damaged by bombs he rebuilt the damage. I remember clearly going with my mum and sister to stay near London and from there we went into London and met my dad on London bridge and he would take us around and show us hospitals he'd had worked on.
An airfield was built about a mile from my home for the American airforce, on my first christmas at school we were invited to a party at this airbase, we went there from school in a big lorry and it was dark inside so it was rather frigtening for us children.We were given chocolate (I remember mars bars). The men were big, tall and black in uniform, which scared the children because we'd never seen black men before, even Father Christmas was black! It was a lovely party which when my school friends and I meet up, we still talk about it today. My mother and grandma used to was and iron for these americans.
I remember before dark blackout frames going on the windows also I remember hearing the sirens going and waiting to hear the all clear. And we stood on the doorstep and watched the doodle bugs going over. In the next village called Grundisburgh I remember a house being bombed, but no-one died. I also remember having to be very quiet when the news was on the wireless (radio) because the adults wanted to hear the latest news of the war (no-one had a t.v then). My mother used to take us into Ipswich to the cinema, where we'd watch a filma and afterwards they'd show pictures of the news; showing the war and the royal family.
Living in the country we ate well - with vegetables from the garden and the allotment. We had chickens and mum used to put eggs in a bucket with a mixture of water and water glass to preserve the eggs. She also used to make jam and preserved fruit, plums and greengages in Kilner jars. We used to eat rabbits in pies and stews, to make up for the meat ration. I can't really remember much about the day the war ended because being so young when it started you didn't really realize that life could be any different. but i do remember going to a street party in Ipswich afterwards ( where my Auntie and Cousin lived).
I remember my uncle coming home from being a Japanese prisoner of war.

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