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David (myself) born in 1934 and my sister Jean was born in 1930, we are now fairly older chickens than in the photograph. The photograph was taken by our father in the August of 1939 - Just and only just pre-war WW2. We both remember the Bed & Breakfast house, that we "lodged" in, just opposite the beach and the small boating pond. It was a completely care-free holiday for us children, little did we realise, know what was in store for the world, indeed why should we? We were only 5 & 9 respectively and it was sandcastle time. We both remember a young man a citizen of Germany, who was also staying at the lodgings'. This German played games with us, built sandcastles with us and generally was around all the time. This young man would have "Grown-up" talks with our father, way to deep for our small minds. What we DO remember is that he was having to return home to Germany after his holiday, to join "his army" !!!! Ah well, on with our holiday, but we knew a soldier, we were worldly. Oh the innocence of children, to shattered in so short a time.
Little did we realise that only 3 weeks later there would no longer be holidays at the sea-side, no beaches to play on, the beaches would have barbed wire to the entry and mined, food shortages - NO SWEETS!, no oranges. We could not even think of eating bannanas, because we never had tasted one!!! It was 1946 before I had my first taste of a bannana and THAT WAS A DRIED ONE!!! No street lights, no church bells (Only would be rung in case of an invasion or the war was over.)Air raid shelters in the streets, in the gardens, in the houses. We had an indoor shelter, that we slept under, with wire mesh fitted to the sides. So looking back to the photograph, how many children in the world at that time, whole lives would be changed for ever. Children would die in air-raids. Children would be murdered by Military personnel. Children would be orphaned. Children would be evacuated far away from loved ones.
So the happy moment captured in time in 1939 by my father still holds those memories of carefree days in our minds. Oh the futility of mens political greed, avarice, leading to the loss of childrens lives, THAT is still going on today as we speak. I am typing this TALE, whilst listening to the latest LONDON bombing in the streets today, 7th. July 2005.

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