大象传媒

WW2 started when I was 10 yrs old and ended when I was 16. It seemed to take a long time, just about half my life at that stage of it. During the 6 months before the outbreak gas masks were issued to the whole population. After the declaration of war it became customary to carry one鈥檚 mask everywhere you went more than a few minutes away from home. You had to take it to school, it was made a rule. A cardboard box with a looped string was provided with the mask, of course, it didn鈥檛 last for many months. Like many other classmates I got a cylindrical yellow can with a narrow shoulder strap. Together with a satchel of homework books it bounced around disagreeably when hurrying for buses to and from school. And because of that I still experience occasional twinges in the left shoulder. All the schools had their own air-raid shelters and there were regular practice alarms to ensure fast but orderly processions out from the school buildings and back again.

We lived on the outskirts of Wolverhampton on the edge of wide open countryside, and were 12 miles from Birmingham which was hammered by German bombing almost nightly from November 1940 until March 1941. We had our own shelter in the house and could often hear the bombers turning overhead to make for home after unloading over 鈥淏rum鈥�. In a hayfield a little more than 100 yards from our house an anti-aircraft battery of 4? AA guns was installed, they used to blaze away at the bombers (loosening plaster in our ceilings). One dark night a German plane dived for the guns, 4 bombs fell half a mile away
destroying terraced houses and badly damaging a church, 5 people were killed. 3 more bombs fell harmlessly in a field half a mile the other side. So Gerry missed us!

After Birmingham it was Liverpool鈥檚 turn, and the skies above us became known as 鈥淗einkel Alley鈥� because it was along the route the bombers flew high, to and from Merseyside. This kept the AA guns busy night after night. Sometimes we stood on the back lawn to watch the firing; it was exciting and ear-splitting. Early in the mornings we would often pick up shell splinters in the road and I accumulated quite a collection but can鈥檛 remember what became of it. One night there were loud cries of exultation from the gunners, they had actually made a hit. A bomber crashed to the ground somewhere 40 miles away.

Our Grammar School formed its own Army Cadet Force (JTC) and an Air Training Corps. (ATC). From the 3rd Form membership was compulsory; I joined the JTC and was issued with a khaki combat uniform. There was training (parade) for one whole afternoon and for an hour on Saturdays. It was meant to prepare you for National Service and continued at least until the late 1950鈥檚, dying out when no longer compulsory. Once a term we would be bussed to Cannock Chase for mock battles with fireworks which was exhausting but great fun. During my final year (1946-7) I was promoted to Corporal and enjoyed several afternoons on an Army rifle range. Nevertheless I joined the Royal Navy.

By 1944 there were food shortages and rationing was intensified (it got even worse when war was over!). We grew as many vegetables as possible (鈥淒ig For Victory鈥� campaign - there was even a pop-song to support it!) and like many other families we kept poultry and rabbits to supplement the diet. From the age of 14 (that was the then official school leaving age) we were urged to take holiday jobs to do 鈥渙ur bit鈥� for the war effort. I worked on a farm and became very handy with cart horses among other old agri-skills.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.