Wartime horror from a child's perspective

Now 82, Rosamund Hoy remembers it vividly. Of course, it was tragic; awful numbers of lives were lost; but Mrs Hoy looks back on it all as having been rather exciting from a child's perspective.

"During the Battle of Britain, my friend and I were riding our horses on the Downs up by Rackham Clump, Storrington way, when a dog fight took place overhead.

"We took cover in the clump and the noise was terrific. We could see the marking on the planes.

"Empty shell cases fell down around us hitting the leaves on the way down.

"Our horses were rather alarmed - as we were. We got home two hours later, but no one seemed worried, rather different to today when danger of a different kind is lurking."

Mrs Hoy, who lives at Wepham and is the daughter of former WSG columnist Newall Duke (real name Lawrence Graburn), used to catch a bus from school in Littlehampton: "I then cycled home to Wepham. I used to leave my bike at a pub by the station.

"I had just got on the bus when there was terrific machine gun fire and the conductor shouted 'Get under your seats!'

"There was a large lady sitting next to me and we got jammed! I saw what looked like tongues of fire shooting along the road.

"There were a lot of hit-and-run raids at that time. I remember it so well."

Another occasion saw a German plan shot down at Burpham.

"We were kids at the time. We never went anywhere because there was no petrol. We all rushed up on bikes. It was all very exciting. The Home Guard were guarding the crew.

"One of them was an older man who had been sent over to find out why they were losing so many planes. They sat under a hedge waiting for the police or the army. They were watching the end of the dogfight with great interest. They had asked if they could.

"They were good-looking young blond chaps. They were typical Germans.

"They were smoking Players cigarettes. They were not injured. They were just sitting there, not a bit put out.

"We all got souvenirs off the plane before the officials got there. It was rather naughty but we climbed all over it. I remember the vicar's son got the radio out!

"It was all very exciting. Some of the crew spoke quite good English. That's the awful thing about war. They were just nice young chaps."

Arundel Museum, currently housed in temporary accommodation awaiting a much-brighter future, is planning for that future by amassing a wealth of World War Two oral testimony.

Museum volunteers have embarked on a major project from which should emerge a clear picture of just what it was like to live in the town between 1939-53.

Museum volunteers are hoping to use the accounts they record as part of the new museum which could possibly be up and running within three or four years if all goes well.

Anyone who is interested in being interviewed for the oral history project should contact Roger Halls on 01903 214231.