Memories of Living in Battersea

My mother and father, Ron and Cath Bloomfield, often told us tales about living in Battersea during WW2.

Dad recalled that some of the men in his family were sitting around playing cards when the air raid warning siren sounded. They all shot off to the relative safety of the Anderson Shelter in the garden. When the 'all clear' went off they ran back indoors to retrieve the coins that had been scattered all over the floor before resuming their card playing.

Mum would occasionally help out in a greengrocers shop so was able to get oranges for my sister Gwen. She had been born in 1934. Mum also told us that it was the air raids that started her smoking cigarettes. She said the anxiety was so hard to cope with.

My dad served in the Navy during the war. He recalled once coming home on leave to find many of the local buildings destroyed. He said he was terrified that the family home had been bombed but as he turned the corner he found the house still standing.

Another tale he told us was when he was swimming in the English Channel a German plane came over and started shooting at the men. He said he had never swum so fast in all his life!

My sister Gwen was never evacuated.... at times when it was very hairy in London she would stay with grandparents in Lowestoft or go to Somerset to stay with extended family. And mum always went with her!