ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

With signposts dismantled during World War ll, Alderton, our village of fewer than 200 people seemed a mere secluded speck on the
Northamptonshire map. Yet my family of seven -- two parents and five children -- felt the impact of war. Dad joined the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Guard, he put the fear of God into us, should we so much as breath on the rifle, that stood loaded and ready inside the sitting room door.
Mum managed the Ration Books; food, clothing and sweet coupons.
We children -- I was 7yrs old when war was declared -- hauled our horrible gasmasks to Paulerspury C of E school, planted Victory gardens, welcomed evacuees to our community
and made sure not a glimmer of light peeped around the Blackouts on our windows. There was trouble if the Air Raid Warden saw light as he made his nightly rounds.
As quiet as mice we sat and listened -- not necessarily comprehending the seriousness
of their message -- to speeches by
H.M. King George Vl, Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill, Ministers Aneurin Bevan,
John Strachey, Dr. Edith Summerskill et al.
We celebrated joyously on V-E Day.