Childhood Memories
Creators: name: Project Team, Their Finest Hour
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2024
Subjects: classificationCode: 430304
subject: British history
classificationCode: 430308
subject: European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
classificationCode: 430316
subject: International history

description: 6 when the war started and 12 when it ended. When the war started it was a Sunday and mum's friend and siren went and Aunty Elsie went home. My mum and dad put radio on, did not understand- heard a siren sat round a radio remember this voice saying 'we are now at war with Germany.' Remember rationing could have sweets - boiled sweets had to last for the day. People had Anderson Shelters in the garden - people had them indoors as well. If the house got bombed the Anderson Shelter was not much help. Living in Ruislip, Middlesex. Moved to Reading. House got bombed, glass came in went to stay with relatives. Lady next door didn't have children so they lived with her. My mother was not happy and her sister in Elmbrook stayed with her. Did not have any electricity had gas light only downstairs Difficult to get things down.Lived there and went to school. School was not very good so went to another one. Went as an infant and stayed till left school. Stand at back door and watch all the doodle bugs go over. Tell they were doodle bugs by noise, say a little pray for London. Went over us but they did not get bombed. Lived in country enjoyed it paddling in the little stream and getting told off. Bridge over a stream, bars that you could go head over heels on. Acre and a quarter. Dad was at work too old to fight worked for the ministry of works repairing things. Quite a good life being in the country, grew vegetables, trees bushes, redcurrant, white currant. Uncle shared his garden with my father and they sorted out who would grow what, did not go without anything. Contact with other children came and asked if dad had any produce. If children came did not have to pay, if parents came would charge. Kept chickens and ducks. Used duck eggs for cooking. Uncle got special rations, cheese etc and they used to pass it to my mum. Chickens' eggs, boiled eggs, and scrambled eggs. Apple trees, Pear trees, Walnut trees, Greengage. Between us we did not want for anything.Went into the Anderson Shelter when the siren went. My mum made it like a lounge. There were bunks, some chairs, only the family. Very comfortable. 3 quarters underground, could stand up in it. Direct hit wouldn't be much use, weren't foolproof. Some bombs across the road so people killed, made a mess.As a child do not realise what's going on. Don't remember adults talking about it. Didn't fully understand what it was all about. Parade up and down saying Hitler, put my dad hair like Hitler. It was the bombs that were frightening, with children you hear that friend has lost her home- some of your friends had been killed. The teacher would take the name off the register. Didn't have friends who were killed. Funny kind of life. Life went on. Still went to school, work etc then the siren would go and go to the shelter. It was part of life. I can remember at school going down into the air raid shelter, it was brick built it wouldn't save you from anything. Sat on benches- didn't really think too much about it. One night I was asleep and dad woke me up and said we've got to get up, went downstairs never heard the all clear but went back to bed. My aunt said to my mum didn't we have a dreadful thunderstorm. What they thought was a raid was a thunderstorm. Dad kept saying keep down, keep down. Got places in the lounge and in the end went back to bed. But then overheard didn't get much sleep. It wasn't a raid! Got up for nothing. Dad bumped his head. Was just thunder. Some parts were funny. My dad had to go to work with a big bruise and he said my wife hit me.Dad loved gardening grew all his own vegetables. Uncle worked on the railways.Uncle Len. Royal family used Windsor Castle during the war. He worked for Queen Mary and she said to Uncle Len. I believe your brother lives in the village near where we are going so you can come with us. So, Uncle Len appeared and they said lovely to see you but we have to pick up Maureen. He said that ok. It all worked out. It was teatime and mum and aunt getting tea ready, the royal car coming. Stood outside. I fell in the stinging nettles and the car stopped. Shook Queen Mary's hand in the car then went off and we were waving. This bod was walking past and he said is that Queen Mary and she said I didn't know she was going to stop and chat to her as she was a mess. Uncle Len worked for George V; Uncle Len was over 6 foot was a page boy. Choose him because he was so big- he travelled with her. Remember seeing a very regal lady very gracious don't remember what she said I was overawed quite a long time.Were aware of Hitler and Churchill was the man with the cigar.We had a lot of fun we were in the country. I could go off on my bicycle and she wouldn't stop me,You were comparatively I'd be on my bike; she would pack me some sandwiches. Some of my friends lived in another village. Eat sandwiches and find playmates, cycle round, go and talk only nine/ ten. Didn't hear much about the war, other than that on the radio and watching the doodlebugs.After the war the Italian and Germans. The Germans good workers, Italians were lazy. Italians dished up all the delicious meals. They were POW and put to work on the roads. They talked to us and then when they went home and the Germans would repair the roads. It was good didn't see American soldiers might see the odd one. Remember the American [in] their lovely uniforms. Americans hard and tailors. The girls used to go for the Americans British soldiers were old and rough.Couldn't go into a shop and buy your sweeties. We had a radio battery operated square full of some sort of liquid had to go to the local garage to be redone. Every Friday it was my job to go and get the radio batteries recharged at the local garage.On the radio there was uncle somebody a programme for children. Listened to some of the adult programme.I was playing in the garden. Big garden near fruit trees. Suddenly army cars drew up and the solider was saying that the Germans had got to Winnersh, oh know he's not they are just pretending. I knew it wasn't good if they were coming.Apprehensive quite a lot of the time.Do you remember news of D-Day?Used to go to the pictures and see the newsreel and get a visual on the screen was a bit confusing sometimes. Where we lived, we would watch doodle bugs. It didn't happen a lot if one shot off, they would come straight down. Remember her dad say Oh My God that's.We went out for a walk in evening and none of the lights were out and the curtains were drawn back and lights on. Dad built a huge bonfire when it was dark he would light the bonfire. Kids damaged the garden. Knew it was coming from the news.I was relieved because I thought the sweets would come back and I could have them back friends. I don't think we fully understood it. The servicemen were going to come home. We didn't have to carry gasmasks anymore horrible things couldn't breathe and they steamed up.The adults were not worried or apprehensive anymore, so we weren't. It was a funny time really. Everybody was the same.Did you notice any changes?Food on ration still. You knew you could go to bed and there would not be a siren so you relaxed. Clothes still rationed.My cousin was going to an American airbase for an evening. She said she could make a coat and her aunty offered the tablecloth. Complimented by everyone on her tablecloth dress. Make do and mend.We did not like talking about the war. It was gone and best forgotten. We've got to look forward and not backwards. Still things you could do and could not do. Same kind of atmosphere. Had to have a ration book. My mum used to cut the Mars bars up in slices.Looking back do you think about the affect it had on you as children?Well, we were in the country and had an acre and a half and cultivated and he worked on the railway so he brought cheese. So, you only heard what was on the radio. My father and mother listened to the news but I was out playing.General election after the war. My mum and dad delighted because Labour got in. Some people devasted that Churchill lost the election.Later life...<br>Husband worked in Ministry Works. We lived in Wokingham and he got moved here and worked for the railways in York.