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“Maggie’s War” Margaret Louise King (nee Bristow)

This story was submitted to People’s War site by Benjamin from Dover Road School and has been added to the website on behalf of Maggie with her permission and she fully understands the site’s terms and conditions

I was six years old and living in Dartford when the war began and I attended school at the Church of England National School. I asked my granddad what the word war meant. He told me that it meant fire and bombs on houses. I thought this might be fun, as I enjoyed bonfire night. However I did not enjoy sleeping in the Anderson shelter that my father, Albert Bristow, had dug in the garden. Eventually I was evacuated with my brother, Jim to the country near Oxford. We thought that my father had forgotten about us because he had to work in a reserved occupation on the railways.

After about 5 months, we went back to our real home in Ash Road, Dartford and in 1942 my young sister Shirley was born. She was given a Mickey Mouse gas mask. In order to shop we usually had to queue, especially for bananas. If it was cold and raining we would cuddle into my mum. Eventually we would buy the bananas and go home. I would never be given a whole banana as mum, Ada Bristow would slice it up and put it in custard.

I was 12 years old when I was told that the war was over and the street I lived in held a party. We had jellies and sandwiches and some of the neighbours dress up as clowns and suchlike.

I do not remember being hungry or particularly frightened as my mum and dad made us feel safe. I hope my grandchildren and their grandchildren do not experience the shortages of food and living away from home like I did.

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