Description
Object description
British schoolchild evacuee from Dulwich, London to Dorking, GB, 1939; schoolchild and instrument maker in Dulwich, London, GB, 1940-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Peckham and Dulwich, London, GB, 1927-1939: family; education. Aspects of evacuation from Dulwich, London to Dorking, GB, 1939: reaction of evacuees' mothers to evacuation; attitude of people in Dorking towards evacuees; visit recieved from mother; return to Dulwich. Recollections of period as schoolchild in Dulwich, London, GB, 1940-1944: memories of school; sight of German Air Force aircraft and bombs dropped, summer 1940; sight of Royal Air Force fighter aircraft shooting down German Air Force bombers during Battle of Britain, 1940; construction of Anderson Shelter; noise of anti-aircraft guns during air raids; ability to recognise sound of German Air Force aircraft; sight of London Docks burning after heavy air raid; fear of bombing; father's role as Air Raid Precautions warden; incendiary bombs; helping father with stirrup pump; description of father's air raid warden equipment; knowledge of how to act during air raid.
REEL 2 Continues: heavy bombing in Dulwich area; bomb damage to family home and other houses in street; civilian casualties; newspaper reports of German cities being bombed by Royal Air Force; reaction to permanent 'All Clear'; lack of education during German Air Force attacks, 1940-1942; reaction to return to full-time education, 9/1942; German Air Force 'tip and run' raids. Aspects of period working for instrument making company in London, GB, 1944-1945: obtaining employment on leaving school, 1944; first German V1 Flying Bomb attacks, 6/1944; description of German V1 Flying Bomb and speculation about whether there was a pilot inside; incident of German V1 Flying Bomb falling in street and father's reaction on learning that family safe; reaction to noise and appearance of German V1 Flying Bomb; reasons for no longer using Anderson Shelter; description of explosion of German V2 Rocket.
REEL 3 Continues: normality of next day after a German V weapon attack. Aspects of period as schoolchild and civilian in London, 1940-1945: incident of barrage balloon coming down in street, 1940; presence of Italian prisoners of war in area; attitude towards prisoners of war and their work; selfless attitude of parents during the German Air Force attacks; repairs to family home after the Second World War which were still visible in 1994.