Evacuation and service: Pauline Powell's family during the war

Pauline's mother, Edith, was born in 1905. She was a housewife and looked after the children. She later joined the Civil Defence in 1960 after the war. Pauline's father, George, worked in the war effort making radars.

In 1944, Pauline was evacuated to Overton, Lancashire from Chessington with her mother, grandmother and brother. There was animosity from locals towards the evacuees. They registered there in July 1944 but returned to Chessington by September 1944. When the war ended, they had a street party and bonfire at Chessington Hill Park.

Pauline's uncle (mother's brother), Charles James Clifford, was in the RAF in bomber command. He was a rear gunner in Hampton bomber planes. He was born in 1909 and died in 1974. He was mentioned in dispatches.

Pauline's cousin (mother's sister's son), Percy White, met a Belgian lady while serving in the British Army and they married in September 1945.