ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

I was born at the New Year 1941, on my sister’s third birthday. My father was called up when I was 11 months old, and my mother was already pregnant. My brother was born 3 months later. He served in Africa, Italy and Sicily.
We lived in a two bedroom back to back with a cellar. Whenever the sirens sounded, we went into the cellar wearing our gas masks, until the all clear sounded. Sometimes, we were joined our neighbours. We children thought this was fun, and we refused to go bed afterwards. My mother got fed up with this,so whenever the sirens went, we stayed in bed-sirens or no sirens.
My father ran his own newsagent business from home. Although my mother had worked as a tailoress all her life, she took over and ran the business throughout the war. It was a hard slog, coupled with bringing up three children as a single parent. Fortunately, she had the support of her mother, sister and brother. They practically brought us up. Gran nursed me through childhood deceases like Chicken pox, Measles etc.
I joined my sister at school in September 1944 when I was 3. My brother followed after the following Easter, soon after his third birthday.
I didn’t really find it strange not having a father around, since most of the men in the neighbourhood were away and we children accepted it as normal.
Looking back, I suppose we were deprived. The only teddy we owned was a grey bear my sister had been given for her first birthday. At Christmas we got a few things my mother had managed to get hold of. Still it was a magical time for all the children.

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