Research - Family Stories

Conversation with Nana - Father's side

Things from World War II that she remembers

• Barbed wire on beaches - to keep the Germans from invading on boats.
• Barrage balloons and learning of people bailing out of aeroplanes - becoming prisoners of war.
• The Blitz, noises of the sirens and search lights in the sky.
• The Blackout, everything in the darkness - Still has a lamp from this time, which has a hood over it. They had no radar, everything by sight.
• British spirit in the bomb shelter - Accordion players and entertainment provided by the community, morale and spirit of the people in hardship.
• Shops with no windows - Blown off by bombs.
• Coventry Cathedral - remembers seeing the glow of the sky when it was bombed, looking out of her bedroom window.
• St Paul's Cathedral was not touched by the bombing, surrounding areas were demolished - Religion during the war.
• Nana, my Great Grandmother and Great Uncle were going to evacuate to Canada on a boat but didn't want to leave my Great Grandfather who was in the police force - later found out that the boat sank and everyone on board was killed.
• Street parties.
• After the war was over, a German prisoner of war clearing the pavement and replacing turf. Nana was 9 years old and spoke to him about his family and he showed her a photograph of his children back in Germany.
• Siren suit - padded ears so children would sleep through the air raids, parents would get them and go to the shelter. Infant school, all issued with a gas mask.
• Nana went to live in Shropshire on a farm, dropped spare bombs on the fields.
• Remembers seeing a 'dog fight' in daylight.
• The bomb sites were great places to play - Collecting shrapnel from the garden and whoever had the most in their jar won the game.
• Iron sheets - Bomb shelters in the garden, had canvas beds.
• At the top of most streets there was a brick and concrete shelter - a fire made of mud and sticks, sandbags.
• An old lady down the road refused to leave her house and was killed in a direct hit. Nana was never scared because she had her parents looking after her.
• Victory party - Long table, biggest Union Jack flag ever covering the whole house. Everyone got given a book, Nana's was 'Black Beauty'.

Things I found in my Great Grandfather's autobiography 'That Dan Manton'

Dan's hooded lamp he carried in the Blackout.

• 'A peculiar breed of spinsters of uncertain age became patriotic with other people's lives and carried white feathers which they handed to young men before other people to shame them into joining up'.
• Commercial gentlemen - black shoes, pin-striped trousers, black or fancy waistcoat, black jacket, white shirt, suitable tie, white collar and bowler hat. No one was expected to be hatless.
• Men over 30 were expected to replace young regular policemen who would be signed up.
• Fitted out uniform and flat cap.
• Painted the front of cars white, white arm bands.
• 'One dear old lady would place a candle in her window as soon as the Air raid 'Red' warning was sounded so that the 'boys' could see their way. She was repeatedly brought to court and fined, but nothing cured her. She arrived in her best clothes... made her change into prison clothes which looked dirty'.
• 'If you buy me a meal I'll come quietly' - well known criminal. 'Chummy' - policemen called prisoners.
• Helped firemen get people out of the rubble after a hit. Pulled out a dead little girl an in that moment he really hated the Germans, shook his fist.
• A few seconds later the phone rang which I answered with 'Solihull Police'. Friend Allard said - 'That you Dan?' I replied - 'Yes'. 'This is P.W.R. Allard. You know that unexploded bomb. Well it ain't', and he rang off.
• There is beauty in the forest, When the trees are green and fair, There is beauty in the meadow, when wild flowers scent the air, There is beauty in the sunlight, And soft blue beams above, Oh, the world is full of beauty, When the heart is full of love. - Author Unknown. Daniel Manton 1983.