大象传媒

When I recall the years between 1939 and 1945, there are so many thoughts in my mind. The day war broke out has never dimmed in my memory. From that moment in time so much would be changed in my young life. I had no idea of the change of lifestyle about to be forced on me. To me the world was full of nice people who loved me and I was happy.
Sunday morning. Nice enough for a 6 yr old to play outdoors.That was me. I was staying in a cottage at the time of THE announcement.
My mother and father had taken me along with my baby brother to a picturesque village for the anuual holiday. My paternal grandparents joined us with my cousin.
The village was quiet on the Sunday morning, most people being in church.
11am, and the radio in the cottage was on.
Two 6 yrs old girls playing happily by the front garden gate, unaware that their lives were about to change.
My cousin and I were called in to be told that we were at war. Now that didn't mean much to us, not having any experience of such an event.
Later in the day we were told that Grandad and Dad were going back to our homes in the suburbs of London, but that we were going to stay in the cottage for some time. I remember thinking that I was going to have a longer holiday. As young children do, I lived for the present moment. A freshly cooked ' fly cake' as I called the spare pastry with currants in, that my mother made A drink of milk, and more playing outside until bedtime. Mother naturally had discussed with my Father about my schooling.
So it was that in subsequent days, after Sept 3rd, my cousin and I were enrolled in the local school. No Dad or Grandad around, just Mum and Grandma to look after us. Dad and Grandad came down every weekend after they had finished their week's work for the yr we stayed in the cottage. In the village there were other family relatives so those early days of the war were spent going from one house to another, sitting on walls, collecting eggs, and joining in the village activities.My cousin and I were chosen to recite a poem at the Harvest Festival. A great honour for us as newcomers to the village. I remember having to stand by the parlour door practising the verse I had been given to recite, and my grandmother chiding my cousin for not remembering her verse as well as I did.
Looking back the first yr of the war for me as a child of six was not one of fear. That was to come later.

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