大象传媒

When World War 2 started I was nearly 7 years old.I lived with my grandparents and mother in Tottenham.My grandfather owned a butchers shop there.I moved to Surrey with my mother and stepfather.From the age of 8 I had to travel to London every weekend to stay with my grandparents.My step father was in the airforce and my mother had to work in the office of a munitions factory.She could only do office work because of severe asthma.The trains were always full of troops of all nationalities,but they were always very kind and helpful.
One weekend when I arrived near to my grandparents the roads were closed everywhere following a bad raid.But the police eventually let me through and my family were ok,but all the windows had been blown out.For a small chid this was very frightening,as was the blackouts.Most people do not realise how dark this really was.
As children we collected shrapnel to swap amongst ourselves.The rationing was also very hard,and obviously we had to go without many things.Such as toys, books,and clothes.Even at christmas and birthdays,so no bithday cake.My mother was very good at make good and mend.
When I was 9,I was in London with my cousin there was a heavy bombing raid and there were no shelters near.So we took cover in the archway of a large house,suddenly a sailor came from nowhere and pulled us both out onto the ground and laid on top of us and when we turned around the arch and house had gone.
When I stayed in London near to the North Circular Road I used to sit on the gate and watch the convoys go by ,which sometimes lasted for hours.I used to wave to them,and now I wonder how many came back.As children we did not share the fear of the adults,although the dooldebugs terrified us.Our schooling was also badly affected,teachers and schools were changed overnight.Some days were spent entirely in the shelters.
Whilst living in Surrey we had an Italian prisoner of war camp near by.Some of them were very young and were often allowed to use the local shops and were always friendly.By this time my stepfather was stationed in Singapore,so as a family we had longer to wait to celebrate for the war to end personally for us.At the end of the war I was nearly 12,this was when I was given my first banana,and to everyones delight did not know what to do with it.
Pamela Ann Deacon(nee Fisk).Age 71