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A Wartime School Anecdote by Beryl Kemp (nee Cornish)
Having returned to Bristol after an abortive attempt at being evacuated. I was now back at my local school. The school had had extensive air raid shelters constructed below the surrounding playgrounds, it was now a regular procedure to have Air Raid Practise Drill.
These shelters were long tunnels with slatted wooden benches on either side, and us youngsters at the given signal, marched in orderly fashion into these tunnels, obediently taking our places on the benches. But coincidentally, the moment we were all seated, the real Siren went off, so there was not any panic, we were already in situ! This actually happened every time the practise occurred! We had a rather elderly spinster mistress who had guided us down, so as we were now stuck with nothing to do, she commenced ‘’Communal Singing’’. Peering over her half rimmed spectacles, she would bawl out in the same monotonous tone (in marching time!) ‘’I have lost the doh of my clarinet, I have lost the doh of my clarinet. If my Mamma should hear of that, hear of that, she would say, she would say, ‘’In step com along, in step come along, in step, in step, in step’’. All the time, marching along the centre aisle with knees up to her chest, (showing her long bloomers!). Then she would start again with : ‘’Ihave lost the RAY of my clarinet, etc and carried on throughout the tonic sol fa system. She was so wrapped up in her recital, that she was not aware of the hysterical audience, absolutely in stitches at this performance. In fact we quite looked forward to Air Raid Practise, although we were usually trapped down there for several hours. It was an eagerly looked forward to entertainment!
This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Sue Russell of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ on behalf of Mrs Beryl Kemp and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions

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