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A CHILD’S REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR 1939 - 46

Chapter 1

10yrs - 11yrs
On 31st March 1939 our Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, had made a promise to Poland - 'If Germany invades you then Britain and France will help.' On Ist September 1939 Germany invaded Poland and on the 3rd September we heard the stomach-churning words:-
‘We are now at war’ - hearing these terrifying words I ran into my bedroom and burst into tears. I was 10 yrs. and 1 week old! I knew what ‘war’ meant. Hadn’t I heard all about my Uncle Tom who, in the First World War, had been gassed by mustard gas, blinded for a while and then wounded? Hadn’t I heard how, after a time in hospital, my Uncle had been returned to the front where he had then been blown to pieces? He had been in the Royal Marines but, as soldiers were needed for the battlefront, he had been transferred, with others, to the front line in France.
War was cruel, it was pain, suffering, death and sorrow, and so I sobbed. ‘Dear me, what’s all this about?’ It was my Mother who had come into my bedroom. ‘You are a big girl, and will have to look after your little brother, you can’t cry. You must be brave.’

No, I couldn’t cry. I and my six year old brother were to be evacuated, and I had to be strong and brave like everyone else.

At first my Mam and Dad hadn’t wanted us to be evacuated but when I had seen my friends in my class putting their names down on the Evacuation List I decided I didn’t want to miss out on this ‘great adventure!’ So I begged and pleaded to go with my friends until Mam and Dad eventually gave way. There was also great pressure on parents at that time to send their children to the safety of the countryside. Those who decided to keep their children at home were looked upon as selfish and uncaring therefore, reluctantly, our parents put our names down on the list knowing that we would be sent to an unknown destination in the country, not sure when we would see each other again.
At this time we were seeing
all the preparations for war.
Anti-invasion blockades were
built under bridges to hamper any
invading tanks.

We were told that every window had to be blacked out by thick black curtains as soon as it was dusk as the merest chink of light could be seen by enemy fighters and bombers.

My Dad had made a frame for every window into which a solid piece of wood was nailed, and this was painted black. Every evening it was put up, and taken down in the morning. It was like living in a rabbit hole! To make sure we were completely ‘blacked out’ Air Raid Wardens went round every street, and if the tiniest of lights showed they would bang on the door and shout

‘Put that light out’.

Our comforting Lamplighters with their long poles which reached up to open the windows of the street lamps and light the gas mantles were now no longer seen. We were plunged into a world of darkness. Streets were now black, and with no chinks of light coming from houses or shop windows, and having only shaded torches which gave the merest pin-point of light, the streets were dangerous places, not because of attacks, but because of falling over uneven pavements or walking into lamp-posts, and many accidents occurred in the first months of the war.

To help us in these dark times the pavements were painted with directions which the small beam from a torch could pick out.

Barrage balloons were now seen in the sky - huge silver elephant-like things 60ft. long and 25ft. wide. Three thousand were now around the country, mainly in coastal towns such as ours. Flying at 5,000 ft. and lower, it was hoped they would entangle enemy aircraft and bring them down, and so they gave a feeling of security to us during the coming years as we heard that many of them were doing just that.

Air-raid shelters were being built in homes, schools, factories, even streets, ominous signs of what was to come.

Another sign of the impending war was being issued with gas masks. We had been told to report to a nearby Hall and there we were given these strange things. Someone had helped us put them on then ran their fingers round to make sure they fitted. Babies screamed as they were placed in their completely encasing gas masks and children cried as they, too, were scared, but it had to be done.
I know I felt as if I couldn’t breathe when it was first put on me, it was a frightening experience but one which I soon got used to.

As the Germans had used poisonous gases in the previous war it was highly likely they would do it again.

Identity cards were issued which had to be carried at all times.
To be without it was a punishable offence.

Ration books were also issued and we were immediately made aware of how little our rations were to be in the future.
Sandbags were now seen outside buildings, and windows were
taped across to prevent shattering from bomb blast.

Foreign nationals - German and Italian - were rounded up by the Army or the Police and taken away to Internment Camps - on the Isle of Man I believe.

This was not only for our good, but it was the best for them also as German ‘sleepers’ could now be activated, and if those living in Britain had relatives still living in Germany or Italy then they could be threatened by reprisals if they refused to spy on Britain, or even take action in factories or Dockyards. It may seem strange that a child should remember this so clearly, the reason is that we had a lovely elderly German couple who were the owners of a Pork Butcher shop not very far from where we lived and who were well liked by all. Everyone felt very sorry that had to go, and the day the Police came for them Mam happened to be there and she said it was very moving to see so many people wishing them well, and telling them to come back after the war. ‘You’ll be all right’ they called, and ‘Don’t worry we’ll be waiting for you to open up again.’ Mam said the old couple were moved to tears by the love shown them from their neighbours and customers.
Posters could now be seen at Railway Stations asking
‘Is your journey really necessary?’
Hoardings were filled with Posters stating
‘Loose lips sink ships’
‘Careless talk costs lives’---- ‘Make do and mend’
and many more which appeared at regular intervals during the war.

Men and women were being called into the Forces and children were told by their school teachers not to talk about where their relatives were as there could be a German spy sitting behind us on the bus, or walking nearby.

We were told not to pick up any toys such as dolls or cars which may be found in the streets as they could have been dropped by enemy aircraft to blow up the children. This sounds horrifying but it actually happened in some countries.

Signposts were taken down, shops that had the name of the town above their door had to black them out. Trains were now blacked out at night and there were no place names on station platforms. One poster in railway carriages said 1f you know where you are please tell others in the carriage." At first this sounded laughable to us but it was so easy to get off the train at the wrong station and then have to wait for the next train whenever that may come along.

Railway stations soon became full of Forces personnel. Men and women reporting to Base, some on leave, some, later on, on embarkation leave. It had become a different world.

Tops of pillar boxes were painted either green or yellow. This was so that droplets of deadly mustard gas would stain the paint and show up if there was a gas bomb attack. I should imagine our lungs would have detected it long before we noticed the paint changing colour!

Camouflage was now seen as buildings were painted in brown and green to disguise them from the enemy planes. We heard of some munition factories painting their flat roofs with duck ponds complete with ducks! Anything was tried in an effort to fool the enemy bombers.

Church bells were silenced, they were now the signal for Invasion! If they were heard it would mean the enemy had landed on our shores - we had been invaded.

Note that even on the church notice board the name of the town is blacked out.

These words are meaningless today in the 21st century but they were very serious to us in 1939 and 1940 onwards, Teachers impressed upon us how careless words could cost lives and we listened attentively and vowed to remember. It was our ‘little bit’ for the war effort.

Then we heard the sound of the sirens for the first time with their imperative wail - a sound we would become well used to over the next six years. I remember the very first time the siren wailed over our town, my whole inside seemed to turn over as I realised what that sound would mean in the future. At that moment it was just a trial to let us know how the siren would sound but this glimpse into the future was very frightening.

I remember clearly the day we heard on the radio one country after another in our Empire declaring war on Germany. September 3rd 1939 - not only did we declare war on Germany, but Australia and New Zealand followed. France also declared war on Germany on this day. Canada followed on September 10th followed by others. It filled us with emotion and pride and is something I shall never forget.

As for the actual Evacuation, Billeting 0fficers had already been sent to ‘safe areas’ to find places for the coming evacuees. The 0fficers would go into houses and ask how many rooms they had, how many people lived there, then, after inspecting the whole house the owners would be told how many evacuees they would be taking! Life as we had known it would never be the same again.

I was born in the reign of King George 5th and Queen Mary. It was an era when “children should be seen and not heard” was the order of the day.

I remember when we had family gatherings the adults would always eat first whilst we children were told to play quietly in the parlour. Whatever they left was ours! It was a time when ‘back-answering’ was not countenanced, and respect for our elders was not only expected but demanded. We were not allowed to speak at meal-times except when answering a question addressed to us by our parents or other older person. If Billy and I spoke to each other we were told ‘No talking at meal-times’ and that was that! No-one addressed an older person by their Christian name, they were either given their title or were Aunts and Uncles. This gave the children a warm feeling of kinship, security and caring. They were gentle times.

I remember Empire Days at school. We loved them as we dressed in clothes of children in faraway countries, our brothers and sisters in our vast Empire, and we marched around the playground singing patriotic songs such as :-

‘The British Grenadiers’ ‘Men of Harlech’ and ‘There’ll always be an England.’
How we sang with gusto and pride the words 'Red, white and blue, What do they mean to you?' as we waved our flags, our Union Jacks. Patriotism and pride in our country was bred into us, something sadly lacking today.

My Dad had been Father Christmas at our school for years, and I would sit on his knee and tell him what I wanted him to bring me. I never knew it was my Dad as I was caught up in the ‘magic’ of Christmas. But when my little brother went to school it was a different story. His first Christmas he said ‘You have a voice just like my Daddy’ so that was the end of Dad’s Father Christmas act.

Another lovely recollection I have of my Dad is when, after tea. he would put on his ‘smoking jacket’ sit on his easy chair, and then open the jacket wide and Billy and I would climb on his knees. He would then wrap the jacket round us and we would snuggle in as he told us his own stories - a cowboy story for Billy and a fairy story for me. We loved these stories and would often ask for the same few to be repeated over and over again. It’s such a pity that he never tried to have them published as not only Billy and I but our cousins also remember them with deep affection and delight.

My Dad was always very ‘special’ to me. I remember when I was tiny he would say ‘Who am I? I’m your “Treasure Daddy” and so I would call him my Treasure Daddy. This actually got me into trouble my first day at school!! At home-time I was walking out of the classroom with either a toy or a doll, and the teacher laughed and asked me what I was doing. I replied ‘I’m not going to keep it, I’ll bring it back tomorrow, I just want to show my Treasure Daddy’.

The teacher told me to put it back and I was most upset. When Mam came to collect me the teacher told her what had happened, evidently she had been greatly taken by the phrase ‘Treasure Daddy’. I can still recall that memory as I was most upset to think that my teacher thought I was going to steal a doll or toy! I had a great sense of injustice even at that early age!

I also recall about that time that Mam and Dad decided I should have all my baby teeth out so that the second ones could grow in straight. I went to the Clinic and as I lay on the operating table the Nurse held my ankles very tightly, and evidently I said in a shocked voice ‘You don’t need to hold my ankles, I wont kick, I’m not a naughty girl’. This again was relayed to Mam and the Nurse also added that as I was going under I, like many others, had kicked my legs and thrashed around so it had been just as well that she had kept tight hold of me.

I also remember my Dad taking me down to the sea front to somewhere on the Lawe top from which standpoint we could see people enjoying themselves in the open air swimming pool down below. It was a lovely scene as we were standing with trees and shrubs behind and in front of us with the pool below and the beach and sea stretching into the distance. Sadly the swimming pool did not remain there much longer as it received a direct hit from a German bomb and it was never rebuilt.

I recall the day King George 5th died. I lay in bed hearing the sombre tones of the radio announcer intoning the solemn words ‘The King’s life is drawing peacefully to its close’ and I remember crying as he was held in great awe by the people and was much loved.

On a happier note I also recall the Coronation of King George 6th and Queen Elizabeth. We loved seeing the little Princesses in their coronation robes and I never dreamt in those days that one day I would be introduced to Princess Margaret. At school we were each given a Coronation mug and I remember carrying it carefully home to show Mam and Dad and my little brother who was, in 1937, still too young to go to school. I don’t know what happened to the mug but I still have the Coronation spoon.

It would have pleased the King’s father, the late King George 5th, to know his son had succeeded him as he never wanted Edward to be King. He thought him ‘too capricious, too childish and selfish at times.’ He wanted the Duke and Duchess of York to succeed him so would have been delighted to know that this had taken place.

My school days before the war were very happy days. I remember when I was about 7 years I was chosen to be the Princess in Sleeping Beauty. I knew my lines perfectly but there was one snag - I wouldn’t keep my eyes closed when the ‘Prince’ was to kiss me awake. As soon as he came near I would open one eye, squint up at him and turn away! No matter how many times I was old I wouldn’t keep my eyes closed so in the end I was demoted to the 7th Fairy and in my blue frilly dress and wand I loved every minute. At least I didn’t have to put up with a boy I didn’t like kissing me!

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