The Life Of a Young Child In WWII

The Life Of a Young Child In WWII

I was one year old when war broke out in 1939. When I was about two and a half years old my mum decided that we would go to live in Lurgan, Co. Armagh. This was because the family lived in Sandy Row, Belfast. German planes flew over our house in attempts to bomb the Linfield Mill and the G.N.R. which ran along the back of our house.
On arriving in Lurgan we went to a farm which belonged to a lady called Eliza Jane. It was a happy time but lasted only six months as we had to return home to my father who was ill.
As a child during the war I often heard the familiar screams of the air raid sirens as my mum got me out of bed. We rushed down the Linfield Road to Murray’s Tobacco Factory where there was an underground air raid shelter. I remember how people sang and played mouth organs to keep their spirits up. When the planes were coming over the air raid wardens warned everyone to be quiet. When the planes had passed the “all clear” siren sounded and we were able to go home- some people’s homes were bombed!
Another memory I have of war time was my first taste of chewing gum which was given to me by an American soldier when I was walking in town with my mum.
As the war progressed I started school. I will always remember carrying my little, red gas mask with me.
When the war was over the school took us on a picnic to celebrate V.E. day. My two memories of that picnic are getting a special V.E. day handkerchief and my first taste of a banana- there were no bananas during the war!

S. Egerton

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