A Close Call!

[ATAG_Snapper]

This is a first of a series of Paul Jones' recollections of being a young lad in wartime 1940-onward England; in this story London itself. Personally, I can't help but think of a coffee cup I have in my cupboard that has inscribed, "Keep Calm and Carry On!" :D

Cheers, Paul! :salute:

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In retrospect I am surprised how calm we all were during the Battle of Britain. Our elders were more nervous, I think we just got used to things. We did not pay much attention to air raid warnings. We regarded them as just that - warnings. one of my Aunts was amused by an American soldier, He was on a rather crowded bus and there was a warning. He was shocked because nobody paid any attention.

I used to come close to home by bus and then walk the rest of the way. The siren had sounded but the distance to my home was not long. I passed the Air Raid shelter used by the warden. He was standing by the door. He looked at me doubtfully, "Have you far to go, son?" I told him the truth, "No." and carried on, Suddenly, there was a loud explosion. He told me to get in the shelter in a very decisive tone. I sat there until the 'all clear' sounded, a rather boring 20 minutes. Finally, he let me go.

---- Paul Jones

[ATAG_Snapper]

Even as a young teenager Paul realized the grim reality of what he was witnessing. The so-far invincible Wehrmacht was barely 22 miles away, with only a narrow strip of English Channel temporarily delaying a full blown invasion of England.......

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Another war memoir! This memory is extraordinarily clear, perhaps because my parents were with me. We had been told that the soldiers who had been rescued from Dunkirk would be in trains returning from Dover. My Mother and Father called me to go with them down to Shortlands station. It was a pleasant walk. I think it was in the afternoon. Shortlands station is built on a raised section of track so we stood in the street and looked up, The train came roaring past, full of sleeping men, slumped against each other, most had taken off their jackets and some had gone further and were just wearing their vests. One or two were awake and they leaned out of the windows and lazily returned our frantic waves. We knew we had seen a beaten army and we said very little as we walked home.

--- Paul Jones

[Arthursmedley]

Snapper; who is...or was Paul Jones?

[ATAG_Snapper]

Snapper; who is...or was Paul Jones?

Paul Jones is a retired high school history teacher dating back to when I was a lad in the mid-sixties. He’s in his 90’s now but through the miracle of Facebook we reconnected. (Sadly, virtually all the other faculty staff have passed on).

Paul has been posting his memoirs in Facebook for the benefit of his family and friends. I described this forum and he graciously stated he would be honoured if I copy & pasted his short stories. His little anecdotes simply provide a window through the eyes of a 12-13 year old British schoolboy of civilian life during a very grim time 1940-45 in London and surrounding countryside.



:salute:

[Arthursmedley]

Paul Jones is a retired high school history teacher dating back to when I was a lad in the mid-sixties. He’s in his 90’s now but through the miracle of Facebook we reconnected. (Sadly, virtually all the other faculty staff have passed on).

Paul has been posting his memoirs in Facebook for the benefit of his family and friends. I described this forum and he graciously stated he would be honoured if I copy & pasted his short stories. His little anecdotes simply provide a window through the eyes of a 12-13 year old British schoolboy of civilian life during a very grim time 1940-45 in London and surrounding countryside.



:salute:

Thanks Snapper.. The personnal connection gives it some great context.