- Contributed by听
- ambervalley
- People in story:听
- Ralph Wittamore, George Wittamore, Marie Wittamore
- Location of story:听
- Walthamstow, East London
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A2766198
- Contributed on:听
- 21 June 2004
Apart from a short break for evacuation in Buckinghamshire, i lived with my parents George and Marie Wittamore in Walthamstow, East london.
During the War we had the radio and went to the pictures twice a week for entertainment, with our snacks if mum could find anything! We sometimes had to go into the cinema shelter if the siren went and we had to sit there until the all clear sounded, then the film would start again. Sometimes a one and a half hour film would take two and a half hours but i didn't mind, it was all an adventure! We played cards and board games alot. We used our imagination to think up games.
Nobody in our family was killed or wounded during the War. We thought dad had been killed once during an air raid on London. His shop was blown in and he, and the shop, landed on the tube line at Cannon street Station! Mum and i were worried because he had not come home at the usual time. he arrived home many hours later, coverd in white debris and suffering from shock but after a good wash and a meal he was alright.
When the War finally ended it felt great not having to carry a gas mask around, no more blackouts and no more sirens. The mums in the street organised a very big street party. I still marvel to this day at how all the food suddenly appeared from nowhere. Nobody was sent to bed until they dropped.
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