Volume Twelve - Pre-Victorian to the Present Day - further aspects - The GI Bride of Cogan . . .

The Francis Lorna Spencer (nee. Edwards) Story : The War Years :

'I was a schoolgirl at the start of the Second World War. (The war began in 1939 for the United Kingdom). As for the war years – well, they were bad. Our playing field was bombed and also nearby places. Being up all night during an air raid was NO excuse for being late for work or school. We were heavily rationed and there were long lines (queues) for food; we had clothing coupons and were only allowed to buy things we really needed. We worked six days and many times seven days a week as the trains were always running with troops etc. (Frances’ father worked for the Great Western Railways).

1944 - Frances Spencer - Bomb Damage 5 houses down - Cawnpore Street, Cogan, Penarth.

In January 1941 we were bombed out of our house by a landmine that the Germans sent down on a parachute. The “All clear” sign had gone and we all thought we were safe. The mine floated down and landed on soft ground and then exploded – all our back windows plus a foot of brick were blown inwards. We four girls were put in the closet under the stairs as a “safe place” and my parents tended to neighbours as they were both Air Raid Wardens (Civil Defence).