Did you have any family fighting in the war?
Norman: One of my younger uncles was in the Fleet Air Arm. He was conscripted when his time came [17] but I’m not sure if he did any fighting –it was towards end of the war, he was more or less in training during the war. But everybody was conscripted into the Army – well Forces – it was the Navy in his case.

Did you lose anybody related to you in the war?
Devina: My sister’s husband was a prisoner of war for about 5 years in Germany. He had served in the navy. Also my boyfriend was killed on the last day of the war on a minesweeper just off Aberdeen. I was not told till 6 months after. Lastly my brother in law escaped 3 times but was re-captured with a Russian soldier who was killed while trying to escape.
Norman: No no... None of my family died during the war. There was a bombing raid quite close to where we lived. The German aeroplane actually crashed into a building which wasn’t being used. I t was fairly close to where I was living. So I suppose it was a narrow escape.

Were you afraid?
Jess: When it first started I was scared because you didn’t know what was going to happen. Lots of false air raids started and later on it was badly bombed. Everyone was afraid.
Devina: We didn’t know what was coming.