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I was living with my family in London in 1939 and was 12 years old. I remember being fitted with a gas mask which was quite frightening

My dad was born in Topsham and had family there so we were evacuated to Topsham on 3rd September. Dad took us all by bus to the Elephant and Castle tube - the tube went to Waterloo where we would board a train to Exeter

When we were on the tube the Neville Chamberlain came over on the tannoy with the words ‘this country is now at war with Germany’

There was panic and people collapsed. My mother said she thought the skies would blacken over with German planes

It was a very sad moment saying bye to dad, he was a parcel delivery man with the royal mail and his route included Whitehall and Downing Street

The journey by train from Waterloo to Exeter seemed endless

And we missed our stop at St Thomas and had to get off at Teignmouth and make our way back to St Thomas. It was quite late but no one had come to meet us.

It was an unhappy time at aunties - she had never had children and wasn’t prepared to take us on. We had to treat it like a bed and breakfast and had to be out of the house at 8.30 in all weather and ate alone in the backroom at meal times.

When not at school we spent most of the time in the shelter in St Thomas Park and in the building next to Exeter cathedral where there were rest rooms for evacuees

Uncle smoked heavily but was such a kind man. He collected cigarette cards of film stars and I used to help him put them in his albums. I spent many happy hours doing that.

We lived there for some weeks and then moved to a Mrs Wright who played the organ and we would sing hymns.

It was Christmas 1940 and nothing much had happened in London as far as bombing was concerned.

We then went to Pinhoe and stayed with a Mrs Wills who owed the local bakery. These were two very happy years. Mum and dad visited once during that time they came by bus arranged by the school. I felt very sad as they would be going away again

It was 1941 and I was now 14 and I decided to leave school. I got a job at a private firm making buttons and buckles - ‘Caves’ in South Street in Exeter - where I worked as an assistant clerk

In April the incendiary bombs started to be dropped on Exeter.

People used prams and carts and left the city in droves at night and spent the nights in sheds with a galvanised roof. I was terrified.

My parents had returned to Exeter but then packed up and stayed with friends in Topsham where we had a Morrison shelter in the front room.

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