Songs from WWII
Audrey Theader Norsworthy (née Snape) was born in 1927, so she was only 12 when war broke out. She lived in Fleetwood, Lancashire, and we remember her telling us about the doodlebugs they had to shelter from. There was also a bomb that was dropped fairly close by one night, which was presumably meant for Fleetwood docks. She told us about the air raid shelter they had (an Anderson shelter) and the songs they used to sing when they were in there. There were a few she used to sing to us as children, but 1 and 2 stuck the most. I think they pre-date the war, but they are ones they used to sing in the shelter. She also told us about the joys of seeing oranges again once the war ended, and she always blamed a lack of fresh fruit and veg in the war for dental problems.
1. When Father painted the parlour, you couldn't see Pa for paste.
Slashing it here, sploshing it there, paste and paper everywhere!
Mother got stuck to the ceiling, the kids got stuck to the floor,
You've never seen such a bloomin' family so stuck up before!
2. When Father joined the Territorials, our house was a happy little home.
Now he wakes us up in the middle of the night and says we all must be prepared to fight,
So he put poor Mother in the dustbin, to keep on sentry guard,
While me and brother John, with our little nightshirts on, were dancing round the old back yard!
3. Goodbye Dolly, I must leave you.
Though I hate so much to go.
Something tells me I am needed on the front line
To help to fight the foe.
See the soldier boys are marching, I can no longer stay.
Hark at the bugle calling, goodbye Dolly Grey!
4. There was another song but I can only remember a couple of lines. It went:
Oh Policeman, have pity, don't be so unkind. Can't you see that I'm a cripple and my little sister's blind?