Lost Childhood

I was almost 6 years old when the war started. Not long after the beginning of the war everybody was issued with gas masks.We had twins aged about a year old . They were given each a huge gasmask that we sat on the table.The baby was put completly inside, and there were pumps that we had to keep pushing to give them air. All I thought was that if we stopped they would die. As they got older they were given Mickey Mouse gas masks.The older ones had black ones and I remember going to get something added on the bottom to make it stronger against gas attacks.My time was mostly was spent under the stairs on top of the coal, with my hands covering my ears.My older brother and sister didnt seem as afaid as I was.We had an anderson shelter in the back garden, but unless the warning said they were overhead, we stayed mostly under the table in the kitchen.When the close up warning went my dad had to carry me into the shelter as I froze. He worked at the gas works, so he was excempt, but was in the homeguard.We went to school always hoping to get there before the siren went. Sometimes we got halfway and had to decide which way to go .We spent many hours in the school shelter, taking our work with us , and doing alot of singing . I remember all the the metal rails of the houses being taken , the pigbins ,rationing.I thought this was always the way life was .I didnt remember what ice cream was and I remember running home from school when I saw in the latter part or the war that the green grocer had a few oranges in.If you had a green ration book you were able to buy a few. To us they were a wonderful treat, just to have a half an orange. We were warned not to pick up anything that looked like a pencil as it could explode.We did go out and pick up shrapnel. The windows were often blown out, and they came around and put up some yellow material.The arp wardens came around everynight to check on the black out . Not a crack of light could be seen .We used to go to Bushey Park to play on the camouflage that covered the ponds.The boys made rafts and went under it, but getting chased off quite often .The Americans were stationed in the park and always gave us gum and sometimes cookies.Christmas 1944 they came to our school and took us all in a huge army lorry to a Christmas party and we had ice cream and we all received a gift.I was evacuated in May of 44 to Oxford as my nerves were getting bad , so being my grandmothers house was badly damaged I went with her to her sisters. When the doodle bugs started in June my brothers and sisters were evacuated to Newport S Wales . Brother Jack, born in March 44 stayed home . By October we all came home. By then our parents wanted us all together. Then the v2 rockets started and one fell on the gas holderin Jan 45 . Again all the windows were blown out and damage was everywhere. Finally May 8th came and we all rejoiced Street parties were held, ,bonfires burned in the street. Flags appeared everywhere . Peace had come for us at last . We could finally sleep through the night .But I think I missed my childhood .

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