The Coming of the War Years

As the 30’s were coming to a close the threat  of war looming. The first sign was the delivery of shaped corrugated  iron sheets to the houses in our road, in turn workmen arrived,dug a large hole, bolted the parts together, covered it with soil and this was now an Anderson shelter. Plans were now afoot for the evacuation of all children under 14 to the countryside for safety and in late July two of my sisters and myself were evacuated to a small village called Flamstead in Hertfordshire.

This was a very sad day for the family and in a matter of weeks war was declared. This was to be the quiet before the storm. Even at the tender age of 10 music was influencing my life, being a great comforter on many a lonely evening as we listened to the radio in the parlour.  Vera Lynn would bring a lump to my throat with her programme addressed to us evacuees with songs to suite, but the song that haunts me even to this day  is “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” sung by Judy Garland.