A change of LIFE at eleven years old.                                          

My story starts in Middlesborough Yorkshire England in 1939.

September 1939.  War between the United Kingdom and Germany.

What did it mean to me? Not a lot really at first, but shortly afterwards the      Air Raid sirens on top of the Parish Church started to wail about 11.00 AM.

Where was I?   I was at the butcher’s shop of  Mole Brothers in North Ormesby where I was their early delivery boy and odd job boy in the shop.  In my spare time from school I delivered meat, sausages and pork pies  to customers.  The pies went to Public Houses. I would put an extra pie for myself (well! I was a growing boy and Jim, one of the brothers, did not mind this at all.  He was a good friend to me.)

A few days after war was declared workmen appeared and began to dig up     our Market Place.  I lived at number 26.  The Market place had houses around three sides.  The fourth side was occupied by the Parish Church where I attended Sunday School.   Soon it became evident to us that the workmen were constructing an underground Air Raid shelter.  When finished, it had long seats along the passageways. Lighting was by oil lamps. Toilet facilities were crude but adequate.  Regulations were issued by the local council from the government. Ration books would be issued for every man, woman and child.  Everything was to be rationed - clothes, food of most kinds and even sweets (candy).  Further regulations were issued that everyone was ordered to attend central posts for the fitting and issue of gas masks.  There were no exceptions.  In addition, instructions were issued that no person was to be seen outside their home without taking their masks.  No exceptions. 

Ronald Mizon

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Ronald has agreed to send in stories as frequently as he can and share his experiences with us from the time war intruded into his young life.  We have received many related enquiries regarding Ronald and his time here in Nova Scotia and we welcome Ronald’s sharing with us.  Renewed friendships/contacts are now possible where distance and time kept them apart. We have sent a package over to Ronald so he may enjoy, with the assistance of our local history books by Sadie Siroy and St. Paul’s history calendars, his fond memories of his time spent in our community as a young boy.  The latest Heritage Society’s release of their book “Recollections of our Little Corner” is very enjoyable and informative and will surely help Ronald better visualize our community as it was in 1941 and help to see how we have progressed since then.  We anticipate, encourage and look forward to any further information or contacts that this “Blast from the Past” may bring to our “Little Corner”.