大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War website by Julia Shuvalova for GMR Actiondesk on behalf of Joyce Chadwick and has been added with her permission. The author is fully aware of the terms and conditions of the site.

On September 3rd, 1939, the Second World War had started. I lived with my mother Elizabeth, brother Thomas and my father Jan in Manchester. Immediately my father who was a reserve regular soldier reported to barracks. He was a Regimental Sergeant Mayor in the Manchester Regiment. Within 12 months my mum's six brothers and two brothers-in-law were on active service abroad.

My mother, along with thousands of other mums, stayed in England and worked hard, doing shift work on munitions, etc., to keep the country running. She also protected us - from bombings, rationery, coal and clothes shortage.

When the VE day came, I took part in all the excitement, especially when my uncles came home from war. I was eagerly awaiting my own father. By now I was already 12 years of age, and I haven't seen him for four years. I began to wonder, where he could be?

Meanwhile my mother had moved us from our lovely house to a corner shop. She sold all her precious belongings because she needed to earn living for us. She was getting exhausted working 12 hours a day, to keep her little shop going. And one day she collapsed with pneumonia.

Our family doctor called in to see her. It was he who summoned me and my brother to our mum's bedside. He said that we were grown-ups now and that we had to help our mum all we could because our dad wouldn't be ever coming back.

My father had decided he would rather settle at the coast with one of the landladies he had been billeted with during his "active" service and help her run her own guesthouse. I had only seen him again when I was 27.

My hero of the war is my mother, as are all other mothers left to bring their children up in struggle, no benefits or counselling for them, no medals. In fact, as a family you were shamed. As with all lessons in life, misfortune makes you stronger. My mother went on to become a successful businesswoman. I am very proud of my Hero, my Mum.

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