大象传媒

I was 8 years old when war was declared and lived with my parents and sister Valerie(5) in South Woodford, London E18. Wanstead and Woodford was Winston Churchill's borough.
Our house was situated approx 200yds from, what is now The Central Line and faced houses which backed onto Elmhurst Gardens Park and through which one could walk to the main Southend Road and George Lane for shops and the station.
Our garden was about 200ft long with a large rockery and numerous fruit trees and soft fruit and I remember my dad and some friends installing an Anderson Shelter in part of the rockery when a large tree was felled and split into thick planks using metal wedges. These were to strengthen the roof. A "dog leg" set of steps led to the heavy steel door. My sister and I slept on bunks.
My dad was too old for Service, so was able to carry on as an Estate Agent and Surveyor, which involved him in war damage claims. Apart from Air Raid Warden duties he was a driver in the Auxillary Fire Brigade.
We also had a Morrison indoor shelter and I can remember many occasions sheltering in it with my mum and sister and being terrified by the sound of Ack-ack guns firing from trucks running up and down the railway line. In the morning following an air raid I would go out into the road, collecting shrapnel which was still warm. A nose cone fuse from an ack-ack shell was a special find and envy of my friends
On one occasion I was playing along the grass embankment below which ran the Southend Rd, when I discovered a recently made hole. I reported this to the police and eventually the Bomb Disposal Squad removed an unexploded bomb. I was given some sweets as a reward!
At one time a crashed German fighter plane was on public display in the car park of the Plaza Cinema and was guarded by a policeman. Presumably he was there to deter lads like me from collecting souvenirs although he took great pleasure in pointing out to us the bloodstains in the cockpit!! Perspex from the windscreen could be shaped into rings which were then worn with pride by us kids.
On June 6th 1944 I was making my way through the Park to catch a bus to take me to Scouts a few miles away. The air-raid siren sounded and suddenly I heard the sound of a doodlebug (VI) approaching. I then saw it flying from my left and fairly low with flames shooting out from the engine. As I had been taught, I lay on the ground with my hands over my ears and watched it disappear from sight. The engine then cut out and a huge explosion followed shortly after. I met friends at the bus stop and continued the journey. A couple of miles further on the bus was stopped by the police as the bomb had demolished a number of properties and the road was impassable. My friends and I were ordered off the bus and told to clear part of the pavement in front of one of the many shops which had been damaged and some of the contents together with rubble and glass were strewn over the wide pavement. After about one and a half hours we were sent on our way and decided to walk the final couple of miles to the Scouts HQ. Parked at the kerb was a car with a dickey seat which was open and covered with a tarpaulin. Being inquisitive, I lifted the tarpaulin only to discover two bodies without a mark on them, they had been killed by the blast.
Then came the V2 rockets which were terrifying as there was no warning of their approach.
An underground public shelter had been built in the park and although the putting green and tennis courts were left intact, most of the rest was turned into allotments for the production of food. My mother had one and I remember rows of cabbages and sprouts as far as the eye could see. On Dec 16th 1944 a V2 exploded there which slightly injured 4 people. Afterwards all you could see was row upon row of stalks standing like soldiers.
Apart from the allotment and garden, mother kept chickens and I understand that she got feed in exchange for eggs. Also she received 10/6 for the loss of her crop from the War Damage Commission.
Most traders delivered their ware by horse and cart and manure was in high demand for the garden. My job was to grab a bucket and spade and "lurk" in the front garden. If the horse performed, then I had to beat the other ladies to the prize. I'm told taht one day I tearfully told Mum that I didn't want to do it anymore as my friends were calling me "Stinker".
At the start of the war I was not unduly worried but rather excited at the prospect, but as I got older, I began to realise what a dreadful time I was experiencing.
These are only a few of the memories I have of World War II and I'm thankful that none of our family were injured or killed.
VE Day was celebrated by a Street Party followed by a bonfire on a bombsite with a Hitler figure on the top.

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