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This story has been entered by a volunteer on behalf of D.R. Bray. The author has seen and agreed to the People's War House Rules.

War started Sunday, 3rd September at 11 o’clock. My home was Gosport, but I was living with Gran at that time. I remember people were in James Street, which was very quiet at first. Then there was a lot of crying and talking. I was ten at the time so really I did not understand what was happening. I remember that they had to change the colours of top of the post boxes in case ‘gas’ was used. If gas was used, the colour would change. Also, as you know ‘Blackouts’ were in order. They started having what they called “Smokey Joe’s”. They used them in case Paratroops came down. They were putting tanks of water on certain streets, guns on corner streets, then building air raid shelters. Waiting for the siren was frightening, bearing in mind I was only ten going on 11 years. Sandbags were used a lot. Criss-cross paper was used on Windows to save people’s eyes if they smashed.

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