The First Siren

Seemingly just another Sunday morning, we were preparing for our Sunday dinner, cutting up vegetables, mixing Yorkshire Pudding mix. Although we knew war was a possibility, what we heard on the wireless that lunchtime still came as something of a shock, though at 17 years of age, I didn't fully realise the implications of what I heard.
As soon as Chamberlain had finished his announcement, the air raid siren sounded.Every one in our house and in the street ran to their front door and began scouring the sky for enemy planes.Thinking about it now ,c it seems strange that no-one ran for shelter, but simply stood in the street looking upwards. I remember seeing one man, who at the time seemed to me to be quite elderly, but with hindsight was probably in his 40s or 50s, collapse and die in the street. We found out later from his wife that he had not heard the announcement on the radio and the sudden sound of the sirens had induced a heart attack.
Later that afternoon I remember hearing my mum and dad discussing the war, and dad was convinced it would only last 6 weeks.This comforted me; I don't remember feeling scared until I had to walk home at 7.00pm, after a 12 hour shift, and then would imagine being gunned down by an enemy plane even if it was only going to be a 6 week war!

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