remembering ww2

VILLAGE VOICES

In 2020 the research team began a project 'Village Voices' to collect memories of Kettlestonians who lived through WW2.

MARLENE HOAD

''I was born in 1939 in March, Cambridgeshire. We lived at 27A West End March, Cambridgeshire. Our garden went down to the River Nene, where I played a lot as a child. Opposite where we lived was the British Legion, and so we saw many special flag days. I have some memories of the war years. One is remembering my Father come home in his uniform with his rifle and tin helmet. ''

West End March where Marlene grew up

The River Nene at West End

FEEDING THE FAMILY

''I remember ration books and having to queue with my Mum to buy food. The Food Office which I think was run by the government was in West End. It would issue families with bottles of concentrated orange Juice and cod liver oil. I believe we had tokens to pay for them. I loved the orange juice but not cod liver oil . I also remember my Mother making lots of suet puddings to fill us up. Even though food was rationed, Mum always had a good meal for us to eat. There was very little meat, so we had to make do with what there was and share it out. My father kept pigs which helped.

EXTRA SWEETS

I remember friends of Mum would give me a sweet coupon from their ration book so I would get a few extra sweets which I thought was wonderful''

Children looking into a sweet shop window circa 1946. Sweet rationing did not end until 1953

SWEET RATIONING

Sweet rationing was introduced in 1942. The new rules gave an allowance of seven ounces to everyone over five years old. This ration was enough to allow the children just a couple of sweets each day, but only if they could find them. Coupons were no guarantee of product availability. By Christmas 1942, sweets were in short supply in all areas of the country.

Many adults, particularly old age pensioners, handed in their coupons at sweet counters "for the little ones" so that children would never be turned away empty handed.

flying bombs

''One night during an air raid, my elder sister and I both peeped out of the black-out blinds to see the very noisy Flying Bomb going over, with flames coming out of it. I was very frightened. They told me all the while you could hear that noise you were safe but once the noise stopped, the bomb would drop. We were very glad it was a long way off before the noise stopped. ''

The V1 flying bombs - also known as the 'doodlebugs' or 'buzz bombs' on account of the distinctive sound they made when in flight - were winged bombs powered by a jet engine.The V-1 was the first "cruise missile" and carried a 1,870lb warhead. Launched from northern France it could travel at 400mph with a range of up to 150 miles. It contained a device that counted the revolutions in a tiny propeller in its nose and when it reached the number calculated to have brought it over its target the engine cut out and the missile fell to earth, detonating on impact.

The photograph shows a V1 flying bomb.

courtesy of Getty Images

THE AERIAL BOMBARDMENT OF MARCH

Between 1940 and 1944, there were 137 incidents involving aerial bombing which occurred around March.

Several hundred high explosive and thousands of incendiary bombs together with a few oil bombs and land mines were dropped by the Luftwaffe. The bombing targeted railway lines close to Whitemoor railway marshalling yards at March, with the aim of disrupting supply chains. Thousands of tonnes of war materials passed through Whitemoor, the largest bidirectional rail yard in the country. It was so vital that a decoy site was set up locally in case German bombers tried to attack it. However, the Luftwaffe were ordered to focus on the railway lines and leave Whitemoor itself intact. This was because the Germans planned to use it themselves when they invaded Britain.

Whitemoor railway marshalling yard photographed in 1950.

PASTIMES

HANDICRAFTS

''My mother was always making peg rugs or knitting, I use to watch her knitting, and asked Mum to teach me to knit, I think I was 4 years old then. I still knit to this day, one of my favourite hobbies and memories of my dear Mother.

THE RADIO

I remember the radio was a big part of our lives, the only entertainment we had. We would listen to all the news and big bands like Ted Heath, and Glen Miller. This was lovely music to listen and dance to. We also heard Very Lynn entertaining the troops. Comedy shows featuring the likes of Arthur Askey and Bob Hope would makes us laugh a lot and we would be glued to the radio all evening.''

Philco table top radio from 1940

The comedian Arthur Askey recording a radio show

After the war

''I can remember the celebrations when the war was over, and the lovely street parties we had, and everyone decorating houses and streets up, and of course my Father coming home safe to us all. Memories I will never forget, a big part of my life as a child.

Later I went to The Hereward Secondary School For Girls. We visited Hunstanton frequently, and would have holidays in a caravan every year. I made friends with a girl that lived near me. From 4 years old, we went through school days together, and are still in touch to this day - a 77 year friendship, I think that is so nice.''

The photo shows Marlene aged about 4, with her parents and her elder sister Rita.

Marlene's father [centre] in Italy during the war.

Marlene in her pram with her mother, father and sister pictured in their garden.

This photograph shows Marlene with her cousin Pamela from Newark, and their grandfather. He was a publican and kept ‘The Carpenters Arms’ in March town. He was a very well known man. He had a pony and trap and would ride through the town very proudly. Unfortunately Marlene's only memory of him is seeing him laid out dead on the kitchen table.

KETTLESTONE

Marlene and her husband Trevor outside their house in Kettlestone

Marlene with her son and his wife and her husband Trevor,