- Contributed by
- BBC LONDON CSV ACTION DESK
- People in story:
- Marjorie Kallender (nee Deller)
- Location of story:
- Peckham, S E London
- Background to story:
- Civilian
- Article ID:
- A4634471
- Contributed on:
- 31 July 2005
This story was submitted to the People's War site by Pauline Pearson from CSV/BBC London on behalf of the author and has been added with the author's permission.
During the war I worked as a hairdresser in Victoria. I volunteered to be an air raid warden as my father was Chief Warden for St Jude Street. I was due to be married in St Jude's Church but the day before my wedding the church was bombed and we were married in the ruins of the church. I was 17 and my husband 20. We were married at 10 a.m. and my husband had to catch the 4 p.m. train back to Catterick. I didn't see him again for five years as he was posted to Egypt.
If the siren went when I was in Victoria I had to make my wayhome to Peckham. Sometimes the tram drivers would refuse to go any further and I would have to walk the rest of the way. This was, of course, very dangerous!
Lots of people didn't go to the shelters but went to the pub or hid under the kitchen table. A local armaments factory caught fire and as warden (aged 18) I was sent to get the Factory Manager who was in the Clarendon Arms!
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