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Memories of a childhood in wartime Leith. The trials and tribulations of the period, allied to the camaraderie of the community in facing up to an uncertain future made a lasting impression on John Stewart.
My first experience of the War was when I was playing outside with my friends. It was October 16th 1939 during the daylight raid on the Forth Bridge and Rosyth Naval Dockyard.
I could see German planes droning overhead with RAF planes in pursuit. I stared upwards, eyes transfixed at the spectacle and all the time hearing the sputter of machine guns. Next thing I knew it was auntie Chrissie frog-marching me indoors.
Thereafter it was night raids. This was my first experience of the country being at war and I found it exciting. Obviously I was too young to appreciate the anxieties felt by my elders at the dangers facing us.
One night while I lay awake in bed I overheard my grandparents discussing Dunkirk, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from France in 1940 and although I detected some concern in their tones, it didn't register any worry for me.
Our local swing park was to be found in Henderson Gardens, a short walk from the Wynd. I was present in this area when I became aware of a crowd of older boys milling and shouting around Lannie's ice cream shop.
I knew something was amiss. All of a sudden they began throwing stones at the windows breaking them as a result. I could not understand the reason for this, but was surprised and very pleased when a box of chocolates was thrust into my hands.
I knew the lad that gave me them but even now will not reveal his name. I later learned that the reason for this was that the Italians had entered the War on the German side.
Streetlights had been removed at the outbreak of the war as well as every stair light with a total blackout being enforced. Other enforcements were households were required to have black blinds.
Personal torches, semi-shaded, could only be flashed on the ground a few feet in front of you and car lights, similarly hooded, dipped a short distance in front of them. The air raid wardens strictly enforced these measures.
As children, we found this very exciting and loved to stay outside until the darkness enveloped us. In those days children could be left out like this with the assuredness that no harm would befall them.
John Stewart, 2001
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