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I was a schoolgirl who had not been evacuated during the war. Our school (Ilford County High) was sent to Aberdare in South Wales where Nina Bawden was Head Girl. Her book “Carrie’s War” tells the experiences of children evacuated in wartime.

Our experience was very different. When the siren sounded we were sent with gasmasks and books, into the sandbagged quadrangle at Ilford County High School where we carried on with our studies. However at weekends we tried to live an ordinary life-style and would go on cycle rides in the countryside around Hainault. This was the time of the “doodlebugs” — a pilot less aircraft destined to destroy London. They were characterised by an ominous noise rather like that of a loud angry wasp. We knew that when the engine cut out the “doodlebug” would dive to earth with disastrous results. Often they flew over Essex en route to London and when we heard one we would jump off our bikes and lie in the nearest ditch.

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