Ron Levett's memories, from the early 1930's, when he lived in the small village of Alfriston in Sussex

Brighton and Hove were full of service personnel. Grand Avenue in Hove was the Quarterdeck; complete with flagpole, of HMS King Alfred, a shore base that also consisted of Hove Swimming Baths. Lord Haw-Haw, on the German radio propaganda programme, claimed that HMS King Alfred had been torpedoed and sunk!

There were a lot of Royal Australian Air Force men stationed in the Brighton area. They could be distinguished from members of The Royal Air Force because their uniforms were a much darker blue.

In Hove there were Royal Canadian Armoured Corps troops equipped with Ram tanks. Eventually, these vehicles were replaced by Sherman tanks, their turrets were removed and seats fitted inside, to become the Ram Kangaroo, one of the early methods of carrying infantry into battle in comparative safety. They are now known as Infantry Fighting Vehicles.

The Luftwaffe started tip-and run raids on the South Coast. Eastbourne, Hastings and the Brighton area had more than their fair share. The warning was a note that sounded like a cuckoo call. These raids were usually in daylight and were so quick that more often than not, the bombs had exploded and the bomber gone before the warning had sounded.

In the shop where I worked we used to dive under the marble counter that seemed a pretty safe place at the time, but after seeing bomb damage since, was probably giving us a false sense of security.

A belt of light anti-aircraft guns was established along the sea front. The noise of the guns was reassuring but after a Mosquito was shot down, maybe our confidence was misplaced.

I started going home every weekend, leaving my bicycle at Berwick Station. It stayed there by the Public House wall the whole week and was never touched. I don't think that could happen now.

Ron Levett, 2001