Walter Campbell

Walter lived at Ballychurch Road, Lisburn. He had no radio and no electricity, but he bought a radio to hear Chamberlain. He had to drive far to buy batteries. When war was declared his neighbours came in. His parents were agitated but he was excited. He was interested in army, aircraft and naval affairs. He remembers ships and the Battle of River Plate. His father was in the coal business.

Walter remembers going to get fitted with a gas mask. He also remembers a gas mask parade around his school. There was no air raid shelter at his school, which was in Conway Street and run by two women (there were only 20 or so pupils). He then went on to Wallace (Lisburn Intermediate).

Walter remembers the air raid sirens and what they meant - get into your homes or get into a shelter. He remembers how dark they were and the fact that they were used for public toilets half the time.

Walter admits that he did not know what was happening half the time because the radio did not always work. This made him feel isolated.

Walter remembers the shortages of sugar and sweets. He lived with his mother and two brothers. His uncle, Victor Campbell, joined the Royal Air Force. He was injured during the war which shortened his life.

Walter was interested in machinery and his father took him to see several battleships. They lived near Long Kesh airport and his father took him to an air show there (he does not remember when, though). HMS Hood came into Belfast - Walter remembers its wooden deck. For Walter, this was the greatest battleship.

Walter remembers going outside and watching the raid on Belfast from a high hill.

Walter remembers building trenches with his father and how a boy sung 'The Sash' in his uncle's air raid shelter. The air raid shelter at his school was a large concrete structure like a garage. He remembers seeing searchlights and recalls people running and the total disruption, devastation and chaos caused by air raids.

During the war a Flight Lieutenant was billeted with Walter's family. He was an Intelligence Officer. RAF Long Kesh was a training airport mainly for people from across the Commonwealth - Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders.

A highlight for Walter was models of German aircraft. He [?] was not allowed to take them and brought them home to show Walter.

Walter was always interested in guns. He went on to become an engineer. He used engines out of U-Boats in Derry for generating electricity. There were no tractors in the war as it was hard to get them. Farmers instead adapted cars.

Walter's brother David had a Mickey Mouse gas mask.

Walter remembers the Orange Hall being opened up to people fleeing Belfast. When the local priest came down and told them it was an Orange Hall, they all ran out!

[A black man based at Long Kesh working in military traffic] stayed weeks maybe months and rented a room with Walter's family. He cycled from Walter's house to the airport. They allowed him to bring his wife over because he was American and military traffic. Walter remembers the manoeuvres around Larchfield [?]. This was the first time that Walter had seen a black man.

Walter remembers Americans giving children sweets. Near Hillsborough homes were requisitioned for Americans. He remembers how excited his father was when they heard about Pearl Harbor as it meant the US would be joining the war. "That's us now all right."

Regarding Irish neutrality, Walter had relations "down south." He remembers getting butter when they went down but they were short of tea towards the end of the war. He remembers a search train at Goraghwood on the border - his uncle was carrying things back and customs wanted to take a 1lbs of butter off them, but his uncle had watches up his arm.

Walter's paternal grandmother tore up [?] bags and sewed them together, bleached them and sold them for sheets. His mother brought [?] by hundredweight bags.

Walter was shocked by the losses on the HMS Repulse.

He remembers the general delight at the end of the war but not parties - he was too isolated. The main things that impacted his life were blackouts and rationing. He remembers the American forces being assembled for D-Day. He also remembers them [?] digging a big hole and filling it with motorcycles and typewriters.