The great "cover up" By Mrs E Falcon (From Penarth Times)

The great "cover up" By Mrs E Falcon

EVEN if you had the coupons, you couldn't find any clothes to buy.

So when the USA sent us surplus clothing, we had to go to Trinity Church to get fitted out.

I had a rather nice coat and was very proud.

At the same time we were fitted with gas masks in neat little boxes.

We had to carry them at all times - thank God we never had to use them.

Penarth Dock was busy then.

I remember the Moth Ball fleet in rows along the dock, wrapped up like cocoons in their silver covers - destroyers I think, fully armed, and an impressive sight.

There was a siren on top of Penarth Police Station and when it blew we had to run to our shelters and stay there until it went again to sound the all-clear.

I hated that sound, it went ack ack, bombs, bangs, noise.

To a child of six it felt very frightening.

One day my mother had to get me out of bed, but I would rather have stayed there.

We were always tired in school because raids happened in the night mostly.

But, unlike today, people cared for each other, helped one another, we were all in the same boat, so to speak.