description
Object description
British schoolboy in London and Bedford, GB, 1939-1942
Content description
REEL 1: Aspects of period in London, 1939: story of father refusing to have an Anderson shelter in the garden; attended Scout camp at Bawdsey Manor, 7/1939; collected gas mask 8/1939; reported to school with personal possessions and gas mask, 30/Aug; description of journey to village of Goldington, Bedford. Aspects of period in Bedford, 1939-1940: story of being met by billeting officers and take to host family's house; memories of hot weather; description of filling sandbags; started at school in Bedford, 10/1939; story of parents sending bicycle and riding to school in blackout; question of eating carrots to improve night vision; opinion of host family Mr and Mrs Huckle; story of parents opening post office account and managing own finances; returned to London for Christmas, 12/1939; no raids; returned to Bedford, 1/1940; story of buying pair of second hand ice skates and skating on Longholme Lake; story of cutting chin in accident. Aspects of period in London, 1940-1942: reaction to introduction of rationing; opinion of Government campaigns such 'Careless Talk Costs Lives'; enjoyment of listening to radio; increase of postal charges; passed School Certificate; employed at Air Ministry during London Blitz; fire watching duties on Air Ministry roof; amusing sign on police station; story of bomb landing in garden and damage to family home; amusing story of going to public shelter; furniture removed from house into street; family moved in with grandmother; story of collecting coal in pram; duties with Scout troop supplying cocoa to people in shelters and as night hospital messenger; story about minister from Britannia Row Mission leading hymn singing in shelters; opening of youth club; description of fires caused by bombing; food price controls; registered for war work, 3/1941; clothing and coal rationing; use of V for victory sign.
REEL 2 Continues: recreational activities at youth club; problem of transport at night; story of being called up after 18th birthday, 2/1942; reason for wanting to join the Royal Tank Corps; description of recruitment process; posted to Bovington Camp for training with Young Soldiers Battalion; story of painting line in bath to save water; effects of rationing; story of joining Regiment; amusing story about father buying fish.
