MyMemories of WWII by Lurline Martineau

Even though I was no where near the war in Europe, I knew that there was a serious crisis going on. I did not know what the word “crisis” meant but I knew something was wrong, At age five in 1939, when Germany declared war on Poland and the surrounding countries (this is hindsight) we, in the West Indian Island of Grenada were terrified. At that time, Grenada was dependant on Great Britain for everything, including the Governor, high officials and especially imported goods.

On September, 1939 guns were fired from Fort St. George alerting Grenadian that war was declared. That was World Ward II. It was announced on the radio but not every household owned one; so cars with bullhorns went through the streets informing people. I saw my parents crying, and they told us it would be dangerous to smell the gun powder. I remember going though the house smelling the curtains and beds and did not smell anything. I did not know what gun power smelt like and I as frightened.

Later on, I knew that my parents did not realize what impact the war would have on that poor island. Gradually I saw imported foods getting scarcer and scarcer when I was sent to the shops. That agricultural island depended on staples like rice, flour, dairy products (butter from Australia), dried fruit, cloth, machinery, vehicles, building materials, and many other imported goods.

In 1941, when Germany invaded England, the situation became more critical as ships bringing goods to the Caribbean islands were torpedoed by enemy subs. I remember a frightening event in 1942; an excursion schooner left from Grenada for St. Vincent, a neighboring island, but unfortunately never arrived there. All sixty six passengers were unaccounted for. A family friend lost three children in that disaster. My bother was spared, as he was supposed to go also but did not have the money for the trip.

I did not understand much at that time, but all eight of us went to school as usual. We read the newspaper to get all the latest news and we were advised to lessen the light at night so enemy planes would not see the island. My father painted the windows dark green or black, whatever color he could find. I still did not understand the seriousness of the war.

The education system depended on the Cambridge exams set for oversees students in high school so they might matriculate and go to college. Of course that was for those who could not afford it. The student wrote their exams at the end of December and said that the papers would be sent to England to be corrected. On occasion, the ships carrying the papers had sunk. So the students were forced to rewrite their test. I remember my brother and sister writing two copies after that on foolscap, so they would have copies if the need arose.

When I became a Brownie, we were asked to collect aluminum foil which we called “silver paper”, I learned the word “aluminum foil” when I came to the country. The “silver paper” came from cigarette and chocolate boxes. I suppose the paper was recycled to help in building planes and machinery. I saw older women knitting socks and blankets for the soldiers at the front.

We just knew that we had to substitute the staples with vegetables from the garden. Once in a while a boat would get through bringing flour, rice and cooking oil. Those were doled out sparingly. Mama would save flour for the Christmas cake and gradually collect the necessary ingredients for Christmas. All year we looked forward to that time when we feasted on foods not available during the year. We maintained the Christmas tradition during the war years we what we had. The spirit was high with going to church, singing carols, visiting neighbors and especially eating. We all enjoyed in spite of the disasters overseas.

In the early forties, I remember women enlisting in a military program called ATS. I believe it stood for Auxiliary Training Service, and the other British islands participated in the program. They were sent overseas for training. There was a similar military program for male soldiers, but I don’t remember what it was called. I believe that the function was to protect the people if it was necessary.

The Grenada Government built barracks for the soldiers in an area near the beach that had a flat pasture. They concreted it so the soldiers could march and train. It was off limits to the public, but when my sisters took me for a walk, we could go in the vicinity of the camp to look at the soldiers march. When the war was over, they gradually returned home, although some remained as a precaution in case they were needed. The barracks were then used for secondary schools, and I think that some of them are still there today.

Before the end of the war, two of my older sisters got married and moved away. The six of us adjusted to their absence and continued to substitute the staples for the vegetables grown there like breadfruit, corn, yams, peas and bananas. We raised chickens, had a goat and a cow for milk, but we only ate meat on Sunday and fish during the week.

The war lasted six years. During tat time I could not comprehend that Japan was involved also, but not until 1945 when VJ day was celebrated. Schools were given a holiday, and treats of cake and soda pop were given to each child. That was the first time I drank a bottle of “sweet drink” or soda pop by myself. What a treat!

After three months, victory in Europe was celebrated the same way as VJ day, another treat and everyone was happy. Soon we would go back to normal life when imported goods arrived. Then we did not have the fear we had experienced throughout six years of World War II.