大象传媒

On Sept. 3rd. 1939, I remember hearing Neville Chamberlain announcing we were at War with Germany. This was in Barry, where I was born & raised. It didn't mean that much to a five year old, but I could see how upset the adults were. For us kids, life didn't seem to change that much at first. We were issued gas-masks, which we were supposed to carry with us at all times. Once the novelty of it wore off though, we'd ditch 'em in a hiding place, & retrieve 'em for school,& going home. Food rationing meant very little, we hadn't eaten lavishly before, so except for the lack of candy, I wasn't affected.
Things got worse though, when the Air Raids started. Getting out of bed in the night, hearing the warbling siren, and being hustled to the Anderson Shelter, in the back garden, where we'd sit with Gov't. issue ear-plugs,& rubber teeth protectors'. These were for the shock when bombs fell. Those were the only times I remember being frightened. In daytime, the rule was, more than halfway to School when the Siren started, we were supposed to run to school. Less, & we'd run home. We got fed up with this, & didn't go either place,my pals & I would head for the woods,Porthkerry. Watching the 'Dog-fights over the channel, between our planes & the Germans was a good pastime. After a night of bombing we collected shrapnel, & exchanged pieces like Rugby or Baseball cards. Later there were camps about a mile away. British & U.S. Army , & POW, both German & Italian. The Italians were allowed out to work, unescorted I think, I guess they were a low-risk for escape. The Germans were a different species. Our Troops would march through town, very smartly. The 'Yanks' however! I remember the first time I saw them 'marching', out of step, rifles held by the barrel. Not the disipline of our guys. But fighting, they were every bit as good. (I've seen the results in the South Pacific, when I sailed in the '50s., and heard the praise the Locals had for them.) They were kind to us kids. Lavished us with gum & candy bars, things we hadn't seen for a few years.

To backtrack a little.
When the bombing started,my Brother and I were sent to live with relatives,in Manchester!!
I think the logic was that it was safer than the South, and the Dock area. Turned out my Folks were wrong, as we saw far more of the bombing than Barry did.

Those are some of the bitter-sweet memories I have of the early part of WW2.

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