WW2 broke out just five months after Norman and Teddy married. My father signed up for the army at Herne Bay in 1940, and went away when Teddy was 3 months pregnant with me in early 1941. Because my father could picture where we were living, my mother refused to be evacuated, so we were at 12 Chaucer Road, Broadstairs – in bomb alley- all during the war.
I do remember going down to the cellar during a raid and the horrible smell of the gas masks but that maybe from after the war when we would play around with them. I rather think that is what causes my hatred of masks on my face now. The other thing that I remember from the war was my first banana. We did not have them at all and at the age of five the first banana was revolting and everyone had told me it was so delicious!
Viking Bay was sealed off with barbed wire in case of an invasion and I have a lovely photograph of me with Teddy at the top of the cliffs, and you can clearly see the barbed wire on the beach
They did leave about 100 yards clear of barbed wire near the pier so that people could go on the sand and have a paddle but as we could not use the beach my mother often used to take me into Pierremont Park
In Pierremont Park 1942
Norman signed up at Herne Bay which was when he met Alfred Amphlett, and they were together for most of the war. They were posted to Egypt, when Alfred and Norman spent five years in the desert in Egypt and towards the end of the war coming back through Italy.
Teddy was three months pregnant with me when he was posted abroad and I was 4 1/2 when he came home again so I remember seeing him for the first time in my life. Teddy refused to be evacuated as she said that Norman could picture the house and where we were living. She gave birth to me in the front bedroom of 12 Chaucer Road, after being in labour for a week. The story goes that Dad knew she was in labour as he had such tummy trouble and knowing how much they were in love, I can believe it. I understand that Jean came down to look after her bringing Marion aged 2.
Teddy told me that while in labour with me, she would walk up and down the alley behind the house, even when the bombs were dropping. The closest bombs fell on Wellesley House and the Yarrow Home (now the Technical College) so they were pretty close.
Norman never talked much about his time in the war, but he and Alfie were together for most of the time, until Alfred was posted to Tunisia when he obviously asked Norman to write to his parents and let them know where he was going and why he might not be able to write to them for some time.
In January 2006, when I was on a three month world trip, I was sitting in an internet cafe in Cambodia, when I received an email from my cousin Mary saying that she had found a letter that Norman had written to her Grandparents in 1942 from the desert, and attaching a copy of it for me. I have to confess to having tears pouring down my face as I read it 63 years later! I had not realised the deep faith my father had and I am enclosing a copy of the letter for you to read
Norman was Mentioned in Despatch, but never told us what he had done to deserve it. Mary tells me that her father said that he had managed to disarm a man who was running amok with his rifle, but I have no proof of this.
I have a copy of the form with his award and it says:
Extract from the Supplement to the London Gazette of Tuesday the 22nd June 1943′
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve that the following be Mentions in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East during the period 1st May 1942 to 22nd October 1942
S/179578 W.O.11. S.Q.M.S. H.N.MOCKETT
My mother told me that Norman would not become an officer because it would mean he would not be able to send as much money back to her in Broadstairs – I am not sure why that would be. He had been asked to take a commission but I gather he turned it down.
My brother, Hugh, has Norman’s medals and has given me this photo of them all
The medals are from the left, 39-45 Star, The Africa Star, The Italy Star, The Defence Medal UK,The War Medal 39-45 UK with Oak Leaf, The Oak Leaf is because he was mentioned in despatches.
Photos during the War Years
Read about our family life in Broadstairs