大象传媒

This story has been written onto the 大象传媒 Peoples' War site by CSV Storygatherer Ian Hollins on behalf of Mary Parsons. The story has been added to the site with her permission. And Mary Parsons fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

My name was Mary Codd and I was just 15 years old when war was declared on the radio. I was listening with my younger sister Brenda and my dear father ( my mother had died a year earlier). I thought that the enemy would suddenly appear but nothing happened until later. Of course the planes did come and the bombing with them. Things were happening like air raid shelters being built and ration books being issued, though I cannot remember my sister and I going short I think my father went without.
As I said the planes did come and bombs were dropped, I do remeber hearing a plane one night, one could recognise the sound of a German plane and the siren had not gone off. It suddenly swooped very low, I could see the shadow of the wings, it dropped its' load of incendaries before the siren went off. Needless to say Brenda and I very quickly jumped out of bed and ran to the shelter. My father always kept some sweets in there to give to children to try and calm them down. My father was very badly gassed in the first world war and I remember that in this war we had to carry gas masks everywhere.
With the bombing came the blackout, no lights were to be shown and all signposts were removed. I can remember being asked by a man if I could direct him to some service base, I can't remember where, and afterwards I remember thinking to myself "was he a spy?" who knows. Eventually I was called up and sent as a bus conductress (my father did not want me to go into the services). I lasted one day as I was sick all of time and the conductor on the very busy naval barracks bus route told me to sit down. I went home at lunchtime and my dad took me to the doctor. My next job was as a welder in No. 81 shop in the dockyard. I enjoyed that job as I met a lot of very nice people including my dear husband Reg (now deceased) whom I married in 1947.
Returning to the bliz of Plymouth, the bombing was dreadful with hundreds of planes coming over night after night and bomb after bomb dropping. The city was flat and on fire, I well remember George Street completely destroyed, Dunns, Goodbody's, Moons etc all gone. Other vivid memories include being with a friend one night and going home to her house only to find it gone. It was near Princess Square where we also saw several firemen lying dead in the road.
We used to run around with sandbags whenever they were needed. At that time I was also a Red Cross V.A.D and I remember going to the old Millbay Station where servicemen who had been injured (some very badly) had been brought home. Bombs also fell on Mount Batten and the oil that was stored there burned for days on end. One day whilst swimming in the pool on the Hoe I witnessed an ariel dog fight take place in the skies right above me. No siren had been sounded and I fled very quickly.
Finally the end of the war came and what a treat it was to see the lights go on again. There was dancing on the Hoe, which I used to go to often. Of course food and clothes were rationed but did anyone really care? we were at peace at last. I pray that this country will never have to go to war again.

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