West, David (Oral history)

British schoolchild in London, 1939-1945; evaucee in Devon, 1941

REEL 1: Aspects of period in London , GB, 1939-1945: born at Elephant and Castle, 1939; story of evacuation to Devon following bombing of house, 1941; various memories of location; contracted whooping cough; education; returned to London following D-Day landings, 1944; opinion of treatment by foster family; attended various nursery schools and started primary school age 5; description of accommodation in council house in Camberwell; friends and childhood games; parental discipline; story of collecting sweets from shop destroyed in V1 raid; attitude to war; story of friend’s family killed in air raid; description of bomb damage in Camberwell; opinion of conditions in air raid shelter; description of VE Day street party, 5/1945; story of Victory Parade in Kennington and watching Montgomery drive past in jeep, 8/Jun/1945; further comments on VE Day street party; effect of war on families and community spirit; description of wartime food shopping; story of sharpening knives and scissors in street; reason for liking to eat lard; story of stealing sweet ration coupons from brother and sisters. REEL 2 Continues: story of being given box of chocolate bars by brother-in-law after war; favourites sweets including Sharpe’s toffees and bubble gum; various memories of local sweetshop and owner; visits to local parks; attitude to loss of personal possessions; friends and recreational activities; fights with other boys; reflections on outcome of war; description of conditions during winter of 1946 and problem of fog effecting transport.