Memories of WW2 – Submitted by Connie Burke

In the final part of our War Memories series, resident Connie Burke writes of her memories of the time and the evacuees her family took in.

A Little Girls Memory of the War Days

By Connie Burke

I was almost 3 years old; I can remember my Dad always in air-force uniform. He once told me he had signed-up and joined the air-force cadets at 17 years of age, and stayed in. Dad was sent to France, although we missed and worried about him, we were so happy when he arrived home on leave with presents, like nylons for Mum, sweets and chocolate for me, as these were unattainable in England due to rationing.

I remember hiding under the table when sirens sounded. Then going out to the air-raid shelters dotted around the town. We had an air-raid shelter but it was combined with our next door neighbour, I would sit on the top with the little boy from next door watching the “doodlebugs” fly over (we were 4 years old) with Mum yelling at us to come in.

By now I was in the infant’s school and a bomb fell on houses adjacent to my school killing many people and school friends, leaving a massive crater.

Mum and Dad took in a couple of evacuees from London. The couple Ivy and Alf spoilt me by giving me a large spoonful of brown sugar and a little jam on toast, “naughty” as both were on ration, but nice.

In the road in Watford where I lived, an alleyway led down to the railway tracks for Watford Junction. We saw many Italian prisoners of war who were put to work there. My Uncle who was in the army was also captured and imprisoned.

Then yes there was “VE Day”. I just remember a great big street party