When the war started in 1939 I was 8 years old and when the war ended in 1945 I was 14 years old. Because my schooling was intermittent my education suffered greatly resulting in my passing only the first part of the 11+ scholarship. As an only child I loved every minute of being at school with other children and longed to be a teacher when I grew up. However, when I did not pass the scholarship this dream was not possible.