My WW2

I was born in St Mary Abbotts Hosp, Kensington, on 3Apr1942, and lived in St Georges Mansions, Causton ST, SW1 until we moved in mid 1943 to 52 Millbank. Father worked on Aerial Photography/reconnaissance in Min of Aviation Supply, Thames House just down the road. I am surprised, being so young at the time, that I have memories of several events; viz: moving round the large ash tree at the bottom of the garden watching a V1(doodle bug) flying along roughly above Vauxhall Bridge Rd mother praying it wouldn't turn right and stoof in until it was well past us. I learned later that it was the one that hit Victoria Station; watching the barrage balloon being raised and lowered in Victoria Gardens by the WRAF team; Particularly VE day when father took me to Parliament Sq/Whitehall to witness Winston announce the war was over and that night going to see the fireworks opposite the H of P in the river with a Wing Cdr from his office; the most vivid was the Victory Parade which went past our house and lots of friends came to watch it from our first floor balcony. Father had flown in many a/c since 1929 as a trials officer, his last flights were in Shackletons doing flare trials for night photography in th sixties. He is now 95.

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