Oxfordshire

Prelude to War and Army Training

And, for the few remaining weeks of term, there were occasional patrols as part of the Oxford City Local...

First Memories

Every month, same day, same time, we took the bus from Islington to the West End to see my Uncle...

Joining the PRU

Flying training started in summer 1941 on Tiger Moths and Twin-engined Airspeed Oxfords. Eventually...

Growing up in WW2: Evacuee in Sulgrave

My carers had three children, Mary the eldest, Diana she was my age Ten and David, twelve he never seemed...

Evacuation during World War II: South London to Banbury

I knew something was wrong, however, when a large luggage label was tied to my coat buttonhole and I was...

Air-Raids, School and Yanks!

In late 1941, or early 1942 an Army Cadet Force was formed in the town, with Mr. Leeson as Commanding...

Rabbit, Corned Beef and Spam! Life Just Had To Go On.....

When Dick came back from France he experienced his first London bomb — he hadn't experience...

A Young Boy's War: Chapter 6

Step-father John was on the beach at Dunkirk flying his “anti-Stuka” kites and at Normandy on...

Evacuee: From Clapham to Oxford

But they now had a shelter, so I felt a bit better Dad was ‘digging for victory’; I was pleased...

My First 24 Hour Pass in the WAAFS

Within three weeks of my being posted to RAF Bicester, I accidentally met my cousin Jack who was also...

Childhood in London's War

I was very young but the images in my mind are still bright, photographs - if only there was a print button...

Shadow Factory Cameraderie and the EVT Washing Machine

My story relates to a shadow factory built just a few miles outside Bromsgrove in the industrial town of...

The Good Old Days: My Life in the Land Army

I stayed in the Land Army till after the war and on V.E. night there were lots of people in Leamington... I...

Is tonight the night?

My situation was slightly different, my husband was part of the home guard his duties included patroling...

Three Ex-Servicemen Reminisce

He was to take it to Brize Norton into RAF service and was being towed by a Sterling bomber... It grew dark...

A Different Spitfire

PRU Spitfires were provided with vertically fitted automatic units with up to 36” lenses, which were...

WW2 Photo Reconaissance

He was posted to be Navigator on twin Rolls Royce Merlin engined De Havilland Mosquito Aircraft with a crew...

London and Oxford 1939 - 1945

On the day war broke out, 3rd September, 1939, my father, traumatised by his experiences in the trenches in...

A Teenager doing War Work

There was also Henry Hall's Band, which played dance music, as well as Vera Lynn, Anne Shelton and Bing...

A War Evacuee

Village children went in the morning, and Londoners in the afternoon... Nothing was happening in London so...

The Lennard Family

Mum used my pram to collect firewood.There was a salvage place for cans and bones at the back of Victoria...

Hendred's Home Front Recall

After all his records as a runner does E MacDonald Bailey remember his sojourn here with the RAF? are there...

A Mix of Teaching, Spitfires and Gliders

I emerged from the nstructors course brimming with knowledeg and enthusiasm , Posted To Insworth Gloucester...

Wartime Memories of a Wartime Wedding

My aunt made a tiny fruit cake with hoarded fruit, and we covered it with a cardboard “wedding...

An Old Eastender's Boyhood Memories Part 5: Evacuated again 1941

Later that evening we followed the Taplins out from the warmth of their kitchen, through to the scullery,...

Evacuated from Dagenham to Melton, Suffolk

I just remember lots of children with gas masks and labels going down to the jetty to board a paddle...