Daughter of a Surgical Instrument Maker, WWII

My mother was ten years old when war broke out. Her father was a surgical instrument maker, and his forge was in Walthamstow, London E17. Mum was offered the chance of evacuation but being an only child, didn't want to be separated from her parents and perhaps survive without them. Her school was immediately closed on the outbreak of war, and she had to go once a week for homework until the following September. In August 1940 the bombing campaign on London was so heavy that her father came home from work at lunchtime. He said, "it's my 44th birthday today. Since they obviously don't want me to see another, I'm taking the afternoon off to be with my family." During that afternoon my mum counted 44 bombs. However, her dad survived another 41 years! Mum saw some terrible things during the Blitz, including a heartrending episode when her best friend's house sustained a direct hit. The family were in the Anderson shelter at the time, but mum's friend had nipped back for her hair rollers. Both of her legs were lost in the blast, and her brother ran her to hospital in a wheelbarrow, there being no way for the ambulance to come through the rubble. She died just the same, and her funeral was the first Salvation Army funeral mum saw. Mum lost all of her four grandparents during the War, but survived to marry a Walthamstow boy, and have children and grandchildren.

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