- Contributed by
- mkseaford
- People in story:
- My nan
- Location of story:
- Cardiff
- Article ID:
- A2069598
- Contributed on:
- 22 November 2003
My nan's memories as told to me, her grand daughter, Sarah.
'I inspected paprachutes made of silk. Many brides made their wedding dresses after the war out of this silk. Clothes and food were still rationed.
Black out... no lights allowed to slow invasion by enemy; too dangerous. Three shifts was eerie. Small torch allowed, gas mask over one shoulder. We can laugh now, but not then.
Remember one special said 100 planes flew over the docks. We were shuttled to the bowels of the earth, where Cardiff Bay is now. How very different.
Rationing - down to the bare 2oz of this and 2oz of that. No chocolate, no fruit, no meat...but we all survived. Perhaps healthier for it.
Air raid shelters (Anderson shelters)- we spent most nights huddled together sheltering from raids, listening to enemy planes overhead. Can you imagine trying to wake two frightened deaf and dumb people and trying to cope? My in-laws, love them!
Now for the sad bit. After leave all our loved ones were returning to fight. Oh, how we cried and missed them. You can imagine the news that they (letters) contained (was it news?) Mind you, we went to town with the Yanks so that helped. By the way, grandad was stationed then in South Africa, Iraq, India and Burma..that was another war with the Japanese.
D-day came 6 years after. Grandad was then sent to Germany to sought them out. 6 years was a long time not to see him but at least the war was over and he was safe.
Sarah, I could go on forever.....'
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