“Our house in Penarth, South Wales,  overlooked Cardiff docks. During the early years of the war, the Germans were bombing these.  

You could tell they were enemy planes because their engines made a dull droning noise, unlike ours.  One day I was at school, and we had a raid. We didn’t`t have time to shelter, and we all just had to lie down in the playground.  

After that my father, who was a train driver, moved the family to his hometown; Brixham, in Devon.

It was here that I saw my first black man. He was a soldier in the US Army, who were camped in the surrounding area. They gave us sweets and chocolate, which we children all enjoyed.

Brixham 1944

Shot at by NAZI planes

One day I was on the beach with my dog and a German plane flew low over us, firing it`s guns.

I was terrified, and threw myself over my dog to protect him. The American landing craft were in the harbour ( we learned later that they were part of the D-Day landings), and I suppose the plane was really firing at those - but all I worried about was my dog.

Because we couldn’t`t get photographic film during the war we couldn’t`t take photographs, so I have very few pictures of my childhood.

Medicines were also in short supply. My brother Kenneth got ill after falling into Brixham harbour, and we couldn’t`t get the medicine that he needed. There was no National Health Service back then.

He was a very good artist, and drew every plane there was in a series of exercise books. He also collected newspaper clippings and made scrapbooks from these. From the stories in these cuttings this must have been around 1943. Sadly my brother never recovered from his illness.

During this time a good looking RAF airman was lodged with us. He was stationed at a radar post near Kingswear. My sister Freda is older than myself, and they began dating.

They married after the war, and moved to Kent.”

 

Elaine in 1946

Elaine today

"One day I was on the beach with my dog and a German plane flew low over us, firing it`s guns. I was terrified"

 

 

Elaine's Dog and cousin, 1946