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Graeme wrote:
War Years
"I
remember living in Pennywell during the 'war years. We
had
backgreen concerts and gas lamps in the street,
and in the house. I remember:
-
the army barracks along the road, firing big guns at
planes, and the shock going right through our bodies.
- all the people in the street
waving at a plane in 1942; they thought it was British when it was
actually a Junkers.
- my dad lifting off his helmet, as a
fire warden, to stoke his hair flat, putting his helmet on again and
finding a piece of shrapnel burying inside it."
Firth of Forth
"As kids, we roamed the seafront, and found
huge boxes washed up on the beach due to ships getting sunk.
We went down to Leith to see the five
U-boats down there, when peace was declared. I wondered where all
the men were who were on them
I remember my Dad, building the gun
emplacements on Cramond Island, and having to wade through three feet of
water, of a turning tide to cross there."
Easter Drylaw Drive
"We lived at 47 Easter Drylaw Drive
for nearly a year. Our milk came for the local Hastie Farm, just
up from us. Mrs Hastie made us treacle toffee for taking empty
bottles to her."
The rents at Easter Drylaw Drive
went up twice, so my mother decided to put her name down for a house
across the street, and we ended up in 6 Ferry Road Gardens
Funnily enough, all the children whom we had
made friends in Drylaw, all came up with the same story eventually... 'My
Mum said I wasn't to play with you any more', as if we had shifted from
the supposed 'upper crust' to the scrubbies across the street.
Edinburgh at its best! We used to fight pitch battles with the boys
over there as the years went on, in anger."
Davidson's Mains
"We went to Davidson's Mains school, and
Sunday School there. I remember buns from the baker at the end of
the street.
I remember
the garage in Quality Street, that played radio
music, at full pitch. The only man to own a car was the local
councilor."
Graeme Charles Munro, Adelaide, South Australia,
Australia: October
31+ November 29, 2007 |