One Boy’s War by John Wright
Table of Contents
I was just 7 years of age when war broke out on 3rd September 1939. We lived in Caswell Avenue, Newton and I attended Oystermouth Infants School at the top of Castleton.
As usual, the end of August found my family staying in Doncaster with my grandfather, whilst visiting relations in various parts of Yorkshire. We were not to meet many of these relatives again during the six years of war. As the beginning of September approached my parents listened ever more intently to the worsening news reported on the wireless and on 2nd September, we decided to drive home the next day. As we drove home, we saw mounting evidence of war with troops on the move. We saw a number of groups of bewildered looking children, each bearing a small suitcase and gas mask and with luggage labels around their necks— these were evacuees. The Government had instituted a programme of evacuation of children from those towns and cities judged to be at greatest risk from enemy bombing and they were to be billeted on people living in the country. On our drive, we met someone who told us that the war had started whilst we were on route.
This was to be the last long trip for that car for about 7 years. Petrol was rationed. You could not buy petrol without a coupon and coupons were only issued if the use of a car was essential to your business and if your business was judged to be essential to the war effort! In 1941, a few gallons were released as a basic ration to non-essential users, but otherwise my father's car was de-licensed until the introduction of a basic petrol ration well after the war ended.
Air Raids
When we eventually arrived home from Doncaster, the first thing we had to do was to rig up a blackout for all our windows. In those days, aerial navigation was very primitive and pilots used the lights of towns and villages to help their navigation. Therefore, to avoid helping the enemy, street lighting and all outside lights were strictly banned. Air Raid Wardens (my father was one) were required to patrol the streets and ensure that no lights were showing that could help an enemy aircraft to locate his target. We soon had either thick curtains or plywood shutters for every window in the house.
I’m pictured here postwar
School Life
At the first assembly of the new school term in September 1939, the Headmistress of Oystermouth School, Miss Oriel, gave us a lecture on the horrors of war. I have never forgotten that day. She told us that most of us would lose someone near and dear. She described bombers coming over, dropping their bombs and whole streets disappearing off the map with heavy loss of life. A couple of months later, a cousin of my mother who worked in Central London came to visit. When he said that he had been in a number of air raids, I could not understand how he could be still alive and talking to us.
Another thing that had to be sorted out at school was where to go in an air raid. It was felt that the pupils should be dispersed, since a direct hit would cause unacceptable loss of life. It was believed that the siren would give seven minutes advance warning of a raid and hence anyone living within seven minutes’ walk should go home, while others would go to a friend or relative within that distance. It was about one mile from my home to school. Including going home for lunch this made four miles per day. There was very little traffic and very little crime, so I had been walking this distance on my own or with friends for most of my two years in school and thought nothing of it. One day, we were let out at 12 noon and had to report the time of our arrival home. I was convinced that I had done it in the seven minutes but nobody believed me. Arrangements were made that in any future air raids, I would go to a friend of my mother, Hilda Davies in Glenville Avenue. She had two boys Geoffrey and Alan and a younger daughter in the school.
Poison gas had been used extensively during the 1914-18 war causing much suffering and loss of life. Subsequently it had been banned by international agreement. Everyone was issued with a gas mask in the run up to the war and one was required to take it with one everywhere. Initially people did carry them, but as time went by and gas was not used, then people began to leave them at home.
Defences
All around, the war defences were in evidence. After Dunkirk, the threat of invasion was very real and small detachments of troops were spread around the coast and at strategic points inland. A lot of effort went into defences against a landing from the sea. The concrete anti-tank blocks along the sea-front from Blackpill to Southend are well known, but there were many more items. Pillboxes for machine guns were built in many places, one of which, survived until very recently in the dunes on Swansea Bay opposite the University.
Several beaches, including Caswell had minefields across the head of the beach with just a narrow footpath to provide access to the beach. Auxiliary Coastguard posts were established every few miles along the coast to provide warnings of seaward approach. There was one alongside the road on the small headland in the middle of Caswell Bay and, I believe another on Pennard Cliff.
If I remember correctly, there were anti-aircraft guns at West Cross alongside the Mumbles Road and later, rocket guns at Ashleigh Road. Fairwood Aerodrome was built during 1940-land used as a night fighter base. The main runway crossed the road from Upper Killay to Kittle. The road was therefore closed until the aerodrome was released by the RAF. Swansea Bay was frequently mined by enemy aircraft and was believed to be frequented by U-boats This kept the mine-sweepers busy. A number of mined or torpedoed boats were beached off the Mumbles at different times.
Soldiers
Initially, we had detachments from the Royal Sussex Regiment in our area. Some were based out on Caswell Cliffs, and Saint Peter's Church Hall was requisitioned for their use. A scheme was arranged whereby local residents would provide a meal and a hot bath for the soldiers who were living in pretty rough conditions. We had two soldiers, Privates Davies and Greenfield of the Royal Sussex who visited us weekly. My mother kept in touch with one of these for many years after. After the Royal Sussex moved on, we had similar arrangements with a Private in the Pioneer Corps. Later still, we had a detachment of American soldiers in the run up to D-Day. They seemed much better equipped than our boys and I don't think they participated in the bathing ritual.
I well remember the night that Llandarcy was bombed. Next day, from Southward Lane we had a grandstand view of the huge flare and pall of smoke over the oil tank fire. We, in the Mumbles suffered very little actual damage, although we did have a land-mine on the cliffs just East of Rotherslade. On another night, a stick of bombs was dropped—one near High Pool, one on Meadlands Nursery in Summerland Lane, one in a field right behind our house and another on Caswell Cliffs. We were certainly scared when we heard the nearest one whistling its way toward us. Apart from the one on the nursery, which destroyed a lot of greenhouse glass, no damage was done. The bomb on the nursery landed on their coal dump, which was scattered far and wide. We found a few lumps of their anthracite in our garden.
Anderson Shelters
The most common type of domestic shelter was the Anderson. This was made of corrugated iron sheets, which were bent over at the upper end to form half an arch. A pair of these sheets bolted together formed two side walls, and an arched roof. The whole was half buried in the ground and given a covering of soil. The floor was then dug out and the interior furnished with whatever the owner could lay his hands on.
Householders without a formal shelter were encouraged to shelter under the stairs or under a substantial table. Few houses could stand a direct hit. Many were destroyed by blast from nearby explosions but the stairs were usually substantial enough to withstand the weight of the collapsing roof and upper story.
During air raids my father was out doing his Warden duties. My brother and I used to sleep under the kitchen table. Later we had a Morrison table shelter. This was a 6ft x 4ft table framework made from rolled steel angle with a sheet steel tabletop.
The Trials and Tribulations of everyday Life
Throughout the war and well into the 1950s, food was rationed. Everyone was issued with a ration book and one had to register with a grocer and a butcher of your choice to receive your weekly rations. Rationed foods included staple foods like sugar, tea, butter, cheese, bacon and meat etc. If I remember correctly, even bread was rationed for a short while. Ration book tokens were exchanged at your chosen shop for the weekly allowance of each rationed food. The weekly ration of any food varied in amount from time to time depending on availability of stocks. The Ministry of Food strictly controlled the distribution of all foods to retailers depending on the number of customers registered. Each ration book contained a certain number of ‘points’ for each week. Various non-staple foods e.g. tinned goods, were allotted a particular value in ‘points’. We could then choose to spend our allotted ‘points’ from whatever goods happened to be in stock. A similar system applied for clothing where we were allocated a certain number of clothing ‘points’ for the year. Each item of clothing had a ‘points’ value, which had to be paid, as well as the cash.
Disappeared for the Duration
Many imported foods, such as bananas just disappeared for the duration. Others such as oranges were very, very occasionally allocated. I think I had about three in six years. Manufacture of ice-cream was banned from about 1941 till after the end of the war.
When a shop received a consignment of unusual goods, the word soon got around and queues would form until the goods were sold out. I remember once hearing that a greengrocer at the top of the town would be selling some plums next morning. So I got up early, cycled to Dyfatty and joined the queue. I was allowed to buy four luscious Victoria plums. Rarely has fruit ever tasted so good!
Most goods and services, other than vital essentials were in desperately short supply throughout the war. Few shops had very much to sell and many smaller shops closed for the duration, not being viable, for it was very difficult to find anything to buy as a birthday or Christmas present.
The Government encouraged the use of spare land as allotments, where householders could cultivate vegetables and other crops to assist. We had an allotment just up the road on one of the un-built plots. My father grew all the potatoes we needed and many other vegetables. I was allocated my own little corner of the plot and was very proud of my small offerings.
School dinners were another help. These were not available in Oystermouth, before I went to the Grammar School in 1943. There, we were provided with a two- course lunch consisting of a main course and a sweet. There was one choice only— take it or leave it! Although there was a lot of pressure not to leave (waste) it. My overriding memory is the frequency with which swede was the vegetable of the day. The meals were centrally prepared and delivered to school in insulated containers.
British Restaurants
During the war there were very few cafes still open, and after the blitz there were far fewer. Some officially sponsored restaurants called ‘British Restaurants’ were opened. I remember going to one in Nelson Street with my mother, but it appeared to me to be just like 'school dinners for adults'.
When the war started, the Government took control of all raw materials and all imports. Hence, nearly all luxury goods disappeared. If a domestic item broke or failed, it was very difficult to replace it, consequently, the sale of second hand goods really flourished, for anyone prepared to part with something.
Later on, with many people having lost all their possessions when their houses were bombed, it became necessary to start production of a limited number of domestic items, the sale of which was strictly controlled. These goods were made to Government specifications and were referred to as ‘Utility Goods’. They all bore the trade-mark, ‘CC41.’
Many different goods including things like coal (for domestic fires) were rationed. Immediately after the war, many things were in even shorter supply than in wartime. The country was effectively bankrupt, having borrowed to pay for armaments and everything was dedicated to producing goods for export to earn foreign currency to repay our debts abroad. During the winter of 1948-9, public and domestic electricity supplies were cut off for several hours daily in order to conserve fuel. It was well into the 50s before food rationing finally ended. Sweets were one of the last items to be freed from rationing in about 1953.
With hindsight I wonder how on earth housewives ever managed to feed their families during wartime.
Getting Around in War-time
The lack of fuel for private cars has already mentioned. Buses and trains were therefore particularly vital for getting people to and from work. Bus companies were each given an allocation of fuel, which was somewhat less than their prewar usage. They were also required to run additional services for workers to factories, such as the Royal Ordnance Factory at Pembrey, and to provide vehicles on request for military movements. Accordingly, they pruned some existing services and frequencies of others were cut. The South Wales Transport Co. took all their coaches, many single-deckers and some older double-deckers, out of service for the duration. Some of these stored buses were kept in Clement's Quarry, Mumbles. The rules on numbers of standing passengers were relaxed a bit, but most conductors turned a blind eye to the rule. It was not uncommon to see a loaded bus carrying passengers, even hanging on to the platform handrails.
A Government edict required all bus companies to fit a proportion of their fleet to operate on gas. Such buses were fitted to tow a trailer fitted to generate producer gas from coal. Such vehicles were drastically under-powered and also prone to catch fire. The edict was soon cancelled but South Wales had a number, which pottered about mainly on the Sketty route.
Because Mumbles was well served by the Mumbles Train, all bus services to Mumbles were withdrawn apart from the solitary bus on service No 6, which ran a shuttle service between Oystermouth Station and St. Peter's Church, Newton. This connected with most trains to town in the morning and from town in the afternoon and evening. Every two hours or so, the trip was extended down to Caswell Bay. Before the war and immediately afterwards, they provided extensive duplication of buses on services to Mumbles, Caswell and Langland Bays, during the summer. None of this was allowed during the war.
In hot summer weather during the war, huge queues used to form in the street at Rutland Street for trains to Mumbles. The trains would fill to bursting point and there was no way that the conductors could collect fares on the train. They therefore collected fares from intending passengers as they joined the queue in Rutland Street. Season ticket holders and known regular passengers were usually invited to jump the queue. Because of the extra time taken to board and especially to detrain at the Mumbles end, the timetable was soon in chaos.
There was one small silver lining to the war for those of us lucky enough to live close to Caswell. Because of the difficulties of travel, the beach was never crowded and one rarely saw many people on the bay, who one did not recognize. There was one bus back from Caswell just before 5 p.m., and this was quite a sight to see when, with a more than full complement of standing passengers, it attempted to climb Caswell Hill. It was not unknown for it to fail and half the passengers to dismount to allow the bus to restart on the hill.
The railways
The railways were almost the only method of long distance travel. They were taken over by the Government for the duration. Enormous additional tonnages of armaments and other freight were carried in addition to huge numbers of troop trains and ambulance trains. The public timetables were sharply reduced and journey times stretched, especially for long distance trains. The stations and newspapers all carried posters and advertisements asking ‘Is your journey really necessary?’ Nevertheless, because of the large number of servicemen and officials travelling, most long-distance trains, despite the addition of extra carriages, carried huge numbers of standing passengers because all seats were taken.
Road vehicles were required to fit masks over their headlights, limiting the illumination to little more than sidelights. This was a cause of many accidents in the Blackout. There were of course, no streetlights or other artificial illumination and internal lighting in buses and trains was severely reduced. Bus conductors were issued with a torch attached to their ticket machine.
During an air raid, all road vehicles were required to stop and extinguish all lights. If bombing activity became close, then passengers were required to dismount and disperse behind hedges or other natural cover. Trains were required to stop or at least severely curb their speed in case of damage to the track.
After Dunkirk
After Dunkirk, when Britain was braced for an invasion, the order went out to remove all street direction signs in order to make it harder for an airborne landing to establish exactly where they were. All signs at road junctions and at entrance to towns and villages were removed. Also many other signs and shop-fronts, which included the name of the place were painted over. In the event there was no landing so the only people affected were our own forces and their contractors trying to find their way around. A study of some photos of blitzed Swansea, reveal a number of unusual street signs. These were of white lettering on a black background. They included 'S' for ‘Air Raid Shelter’; ‘FAP’ for ‘First Aid Post’ and 'EWS'’ for ‘Emergency Water Supply’.
