大象传媒

I was just six years old and it was a Sunday morning, we had to keep quiet because the radio was on, the man on the radio said "war was declared", my Mum and Dad went outside and across the road where all the neighbours and friends were looking very worried and my friend's brother was running around shouting "War's Declared" "War's Declared", I remember tugging at my Mum's apron and asking "What does it mean Wars declared" - my mum said it was nothing for me to worry about.

Of course as I got older I knew what it was all about. The times the siren sounded and we had to get in the cupboard under the stairs with all the kids from next door. But we did eventually have an air raid shelter which was a lot of fun. We would sit in this shelter and plan what we could do to help and decided that because we were all talented!! we would hold concerts in our back garden - charging a penny for entrance.

I remember at one time we made five shillings and sent it to the Red Cross to pay for a Red Cross parcel for the troops overseas, we had a lovely letter back from them.

I also sang every Sunday morning at three American Chapels first at the Military base in Station Road then up to Greenham Common and lastly to Newbury Racecourse these were all American bases during the war, the Chaplain (Chaplain Cobb)
would collect me in a Jeep, he would come in to our "Front Room" and play the piano, he always brought some "Candy" for us, I thought it was wonderful, riding in a Jeep, he was a lovely man, and the congregation were such happy people. I would also be invited to sing at the military hospital where there were many very badly injured men. I guess we had a very eventful war, I remember that I didn't mind too much when the siren sounded as long as we were all at home together, I hated it if my sister and dad were at work.

My cousin Irene came down from London to stay with us as her husband was in the army she had her first daughter in our "Front Room" we seemed to have beds all over the house. I remember the midwife coming on her bike with a black case (I thought she had the baby in that case) it was very exciting when she came out into the kitchen to tell us that Irene had a litle girl (she was named Avis after me).

During the V.J. celebrations we slept out on the Mall in London, my Mum and my cousins
we had a wonderful time singing and dancing in the Mall.

Later in my life I started work - my first job was in London (I was 14 yrs old) worked in Pinets - New Bond St. Sadly got homesick and came back to Thatcham and worked at the Army Depot there - strangely lots of German Prisoners of war were also there, they used to march down to the Depot from Greenham Common every day - we were not really allowed to fraternize, but they were just very young lads some of them, and we would buy them ciggies and cake (they were very goodlooking). Oh dear I am rambling on.

Our friends were - From Thatcham, Evelyn Crees, Doreen Jenner, Betty Rendell and evacuees from London were Olga Bagnaro and
Jean Bennett. Evelyn and I have remained lifelong friends, but I wonder where the other girls are?

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