It was 1940 and I was only 7 years old. I lived with my parents in a small village on the outskirts of a larger town. We had what seemed to us to be the most perfect life. My mother was a wonderful cook and always made the most amazing food, my father worked in a local factory and was the breadwinner of the family and I went to school and was surrounded by my friends. Everything was as it should be.

In the summer of that year, however, our lives changed dramatically. I was playing with friends in the village one day when the air-raid sirens started wailing. I remember being so scared that I just froze. My friends and I grabbed each others hands and ran to the nearest shelter, our parents were already there. The atmosphere was thick with anxiety and fear, no one knew what was going to happen.

This was the beginning of an evacuation that would shape the future of my life. A few days later, arrangements were made for us all to be sent to the countryside. We’d heard so many stories about what was happening in the war, and the danger we were facing, and were scared to leave our homes, however comforting the promise of safety and evacuees.

My family said goodbye, and the only thing I felt was fear. We were taken to a small town, where we stayed in an old house with a friendly family. We were reunited with other families who’d been sent there, and it didn’t take long for us to find out that we were much safer away from the village.

Looking back, my time as an evacuee was a time of hardship, worry, and heartache. But I still have fond memories of that time - the kind farm family who took us in, the friendships we formed with the other families, and the courage and resilience we saw in everyone around us.

The experience of evacuation made me a stronger and more resilient person and gave me a profound sense of empathy and understanding. I gained a unique perspective on the world and grew up to be a happier and more fulfilled adult.

So, even though I was so scared and uncertain that first day the sirens went off, I am grateful for the experiences I went through and the lessons I learned.