Childhood Memories of War

This is Mr Jones' story; it has been added by Herts Libraries, with permission from the author, who understands the terms and conditions of adding his story to the website.

Childhood Memories of the War

I was late leaving school, on my own, strolling home for my tea. There was no one about and it seemed that I had the whole world to myself.

Turning a corner, I was suddenly confronted by an agitated man who had seen me coming along. “What do you think you’re doing?” he asked “don’t you know there’s an air raid?” Before I could answer, he almost dragged me through the front door of his house and led me into the back garden. His mother was already in their Anderson shelter and wondered who I was. I told her I was on my way home from school (Ruckholt Central School, Leyton) and hadn’t heard the sirens. She said my mother would be worried about me and I should stay with them until the all clear.

Outside it seemed that nothing was happening, I was beginning to feel bored. The man knew a few conjuring tricks and entertained me. But then somebody called from next door. “Here they come, over there” he said. We dashed out of the shelter and looked skyward, low in the sky, a whole wave of bombers was flying towards Central London. We watched them as they flew on uninterrupted by our Anti Aircraft artillery (Ack Ack).

There was absolutely nothing in the sky except these German twin engined bombers, and they must have thought they were out for a picnic and could drop their bombs with impunity.

They were soon disillusioned however. For suddenly a whole load of ack ack burst in front of them, smudging the sky like a curtain. Without dropping a single bomb, they turned back the way they had come from. Those Germans may have dropped their bombs later on, but they certainly didn’t over Leyton on that sunny afternoon during the Battle of Britain.

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