Evacuated

At the time of the war, my grandfather, Frederick, was living in Tottenham. He was evacuated to Chelmsford when he was still only five years old. He left with his brothers and sisters on the steam train, while his father went out as an air raid warden. Fred had his labels, gas mask and case, filled with just a few clothes. It was just a week into his stay when a plane was brought down in the garden of their house. They had to take cover under the kitchen table. They found it more comfortable as the air raid bunkers were often flooded.
“One plane crashed near the house and blew out all the windows.” Fred had to wait as people were being bombed out of their houses and being forced to live in the local school.
“We would see big clouds of smoke from London.” Food was scarce during the war. The family he was staying with had allotments for extra vegetables. All other foods like milk and eggs came as powders from Canada. Fruit was rare because it couldn’t be imported.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.