大象传媒

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My father was at home during the war. He was in a reserved occupation making bespoke riding boots and shoes for cavalry officers. He was often away fire fighting incendiary bombs at night on the roof of St Paul鈥檚 Cathedral. My earliest memory is watching out of the bathroom window, whilst he shaved, looking for bombers overhead.
We had an indoor air raid shelter like a giant iron table in the lounge. After the war Mother found that she had attached the carpet underneath. We did not suffer a direct hit but the bedroom ceilings came down several times from nearby blasts.
My Mother and I had a 鈥減rivate鈥� evacuation to friends in Dorset. Although near the coast we could not use the beaches for the coastal barbed wire, but country walks were popular. Food was short except for vegetables which everyone grew.
We returned to Ewell after a couple of years away 鈥� my father had not got round to taking in the washing Mother had left on the clothes line!
We were shopping at Ruxley Lane when the plane came down (see Mrs Canter鈥檚 story A4130849). My Mother would not let me look and we hurried home.
The year after the war ended we holidayed in Kent. I caught pneumonia and nearly died. The doctor said it was the poor food. Rationing was still in place when I attended Guide Camp in the early 1950s.
During the war we often had lunch the in British Restaurant situated where the Co-op grocer is, in the Ruxley Lane shopping parade.I remember that the food was tasteless, but we received a food parcel from Australia 鈥� my first taste of chocolate!

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