WWII remembered by Wandsworth's war generation
The tumultuous years of the Second World War with its backdrop of bombings and blackouts have made an impact that can never be forgotten.
Food and clothing rations, the fear of air strikes, and the ultimate end of the war in Europe – with celebrations marking that victory on 8 May 1945 – remain indelible memories for the wartime generation.
“When we got the news the war was over, my family were very excited about it,” says 97-year-old Marc, who lives in Roehampton.
“There had been bombings every night. We were relieved and suddenly it was all over. “Everyone was out there in the streets, with the women wearing nice dresses, and some of the parties carried on for a couple of days.”
The relief was enormous for Marc, who had been terrified by the regular bombings around the City of London where he had to travel from his childhood home in Stamford Hill.
“I went on the 73 bus to school and coming back one day, there was an area around Mansion House that was no longer there,” remembers Marc, who later went onto join the RAF before becoming a celebrity photographer working with stars from Marilyn Monroe to Brigitte Bardot.
Marc de Henrie remembers bombings in London
“It had been hit by a bomb, I couldn’t believe it. It was terrible. I was pretty much in tears by the time I got home as I was worried my dad might have been there but thankfully he was safe.”
Like many children of the time, 86-year-old Anna remembers “hiding in the shelter wearing a Mickey Mouse gas mask”.
“I was six when the war ended but I can still remember the air raid shelter being flooded and the siren going off to warn you to get in it,” she says.
“You didn’t feel frightened because that’s what life was. That and ration books, and all your windows being blacked out.”
London bombings
Bombings were simply part of life in London – a fact that remains imprinted in 92-year-old Jean’s memory.
“We used to play in the streets in those days,” explains Jean, who lived in Chelsea’s World’s End at the time.
“I asked my mum if I could play outside one day, but she didn’t want me to as she wasn’t sure if we’d had the all-clear.
“Eventually I got her to say I could go and play outside. But when I went outside, I looked up and coming through the chimneys of the power station was one of those doodlebug flying bombs.”
Jean Gordon was petrified when she saw a doodlebug close to her home
“I was scared and I ran as fast as I could through the back gate and jumped into the shelter. But I caught my foot and tore the stitched sole of my shoe off, right to the heel.
“When I told my mum, she couldn’t have cared less about the doodlebug in that precise moment. She was just annoyed about the shoe because she had used up the last of the clothing coupons.”
For Chrissy, who grew up in Tooting, her grandmother’s near-miss in 1940 has given comfort to her family over the years.
“My grandmother worked at the Lyons Corner House tea shop in central London, which was the place to go,” says the 76-year-old, who now lives in Southfields.
Chrissy Wright's grandmother had a lucky escape when Balham station was bombed
“She was coming home from work one evening when the sirens went off. But she was in a hurry, so she didn’t go down into the nearest tube station to take shelter,” explains Chrissy.
“That decision saved her life, because it was Balham station, which was bombed.”
The station was devastated when a 1,400kg bomb detonated on 14 October 1940, killing 68 people.
“She was so lucky,” adds Chrissy.
As the war reached its final days, the end of so many years of hardship culminated in relief and celebrations on VE Day.
“I had red, white and blue ribbons in my hair,” remembers Roehampton resident Irene, who was six when the war ended in 1945.
“We had sandwiches and cakes and everyone came out. We lived opposite a hospital, so I hadn’t known anything else apart from bombings night and day.”
Discover more residents’ stories in our dedicated Second World War online hub.
Irene Rule celebrated VE Day in 1945