Sydney, yes of course it was the 'Wireless' The word 'Radio' had not been invented then. I know that from quite early years I had an aptitude for making things, usually with balsa wood. I can't remember exactly how old I was when I made the crystal set, probably 8 or 9. My father was certainly still away either in Italy or North Africa. The crystal holder was from Currys and I wound the coil on a cardboard former and varnished it. I could find anything I wanted in dad's shed and the crystal set was the simplest of devices with headphones. Just kept wandering off station. Still in the early 40's, when we were out in the hop fields or hedgerows and heard a doodle bug (V1) we would jump into the nearest ditch. We knew there was no problem until its ram jet stopped. We had a lot of American servicemen stationed nearby and we used to collect their cigarette packets that had foreign and friendly aircraft recognition drawings printed on them. We were pretty good at aircraft recognition, and as far as I can recall I don't remember being particularly scared or frightened. But that might well be the mind only remembering the good bits.
Hi Raddang. I can recall the shoe repairing items Lasts etc you mention and my own father did a repair here and there for us - a pals father did their repairs with some thickish rubber floor covering. I did actually make that same comment ref the mums should have received a medal for their wonderful wartime efforts in another topic.................. Where we lived we had the same dreadful damage from bombs V1 & V2 - as you know the Doodlebugs you could hear and see them coming but the V2 just arrived - bang. The worst damage amongst quite a lot in our Town was from 2 aerial parachute mines arriving together in the a same street - most of street went. Before we got our Anderson shelter during the worst night bombing when that warning siren went we 5 got into the cupboard under the stairs - I will never forget the sound of those bombers going over with that awful unsynchronised "up & down" drone. Add to that not far over from us there was firing the standard 3 -1/2 inch ack ack guns and one bigger one which had the nickname "Big Bertha"- bang bang bang - BOOM etc etc - really very scary - I would have been 6 at the time. Back to shoes the repairing process fascinated me - our local shoe repairers shop had a fully glazed front and it was possible to watch the men at work on the various processes and machines - stood for ages time and again watching them. A little pun/light relief ref making do with footwear - someone said "The stick on soles were very good but shoes were better"- geddit!.
Hi Raddang. Dont want to go on about war too much but must tell you this - can remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday - that first (false) Air Raid Siren warning. We did not have an Anderson yet and when it sounded we went over to friends hoping to share theirs - found it was half full of water/Frogs. The next doors folk said come into theirs which we all did - very tightly - and waited expecting bombs to start falling everywhere. (that was the general thought of what would happen) Suddenly panic stations "we have'nt got our Gas Masks" so a mad rush to get them. All very chaotic but it is amazing how this rapidly changed and mostly warnings were taken in our stride - the necessary action calmly taken whatever. When we got an Anderson we had bunks in it - wooden frames with the squared criss cross of flat black painted metal strips across it?. At the worst raid periods and during V1 V2 time we slept in it - "Cocoa" being a much favoured drink at that time (tea was rationed) a large enamelled jug full of it was taken with us always. Nuff said except I do remember the Morrisons you mentioned - a good idea and very strong.
Yes Syd, maybe we will move on from the war years although I have so many stories I could go on for ages. That is why I have started a blog so that I can record my thoughts as they come to me. The Morrison shelter (named after Herbert Morrison, Home Secretary I believe) was a great idea. It was incredibly strong and the house could come down on top of it and we would survive. There was a mattress and bedding inside for my mother, brother and me, and when inside there were mesh sides that clipped on so that the interior was protected. And the top doubled as a rather large table that took up most of our small front room. Happy Days
Hi Raddang. I did come into contact with a Morrison shelter and remember it exactly as you have described it. Due to a Doodlebug and quite severe damage to our house we went to stay with my Mums sister in Sussex while the "war damage" men made it good. In this village they never saw a bomb but did have the shelter in the front room. A couple of us younger kids liked to sleep in it anyway - sort of camping out ??. Seems strange for you to say happy days but they were war or or no war - for us kids anyway. Since you are a steam loco/train fan I must tell of my Firemans experiences. How it came about was that I was due to be at school until 18. With the certainty of having to do National Service at 18yrs I did not relish the idea of leaving school and straight into that - there was some nasty little conflicts on at that time but nuff said about that. So I decided to leave at 15 and go to work - have a little "free time" till that NS. I did other work till 16 when I could go onto the R'way and straight into firing school for training - having completed it one became a "passed cleaner" and eligible for general simpler firing turns etc. After doing this for a time I had acquired a decent idea of the firing basics and took my full Firemans tests - passed these and became a Fireman but of course still lacking in a lot of experience. Everything was worked on seniority and you started at the bottom with a regular driver in the shunting gangs. Did this for some time then went into Local Goods trains jobs and got around a lot with a whole variety of engines - loved this and experience was gained all the time. A good system over all and very fair. Also having got the full Fireman status I went on to decent pay which with shift work and some Sundays was good for my age. Stayed at it and had a nice little fling til NS. Having finished NS went back to R'way for 3 months onto Local Passenger jobs (my seniority had continued doing NS since I was going back) with bigger ones from time to time then left to get normal hours work - will spare you my further history. I always did from a very early age love steam locos and in due course got the ABC books and collected engine numbers etc. Have to say in spite of the unsociable hours of R'way work - roughly mornings afternoons and nights in turns but starting at any hour e.g. mornings could start 1 am afternoons 4 pm nights 12 midnight and all and any hours and minutes in between. I have all my life been so glad I did it all and even today love all the DVD's ref the Heritage Lines and so on - have some very good ones.
