1940s And 50s

A Memory of Colindale.

We moved to Colindale Avenue in 1942 shortly after the house was repaired from bomb damaged. Friends were quickly made and I spent many happy days playing in the park opposite the Tube station. The Police grounds were also a spot for games and we played on the anti aircraft gun that was near to the aerodrome.
Dad had an allotment on the side of the Underground which gave us access to the Police training grounds. In 1944 a Liberator bomber crash landed and that became a "toy" for us.

After the hospital was hit by a V1 flying bomb we were evacuated as our house was badly damaged from the blast. I remember the American airmen who were stationed at Hendon Aerodrome marching up the road to help those who were in the hospital. Unfortunately several people were killed.
I saw my very first TV set in the hospital. It had been presented to the nurses before the war and ,of course, I had no idea of what it was.

We walked for miles around the aerodrome along the Watford By Pass and then past Five Ways corner to Mill Hill and back to Burnt Oak before making our way back along Booth Road.

Other areas of play were an area of land between the Tube embankment and houses in Sheaveshill Avenue through which the Silkstream ran.

I used to either walk to The Hyde primary school along the Edgware Road or, if it was raining, catch a 183 from Colindale Tube station to Kingsbury Road. I never bothered to change to the local primary school as up until we moved The Hyde school was just over our back fence and I had many friends at that school.
In 1943 I together with other local boys and girls transferred to Hendon County Grammar School. this meant a trip on the Tube to Hendon Central and then a long walk or, later , riding my bicycle up Greyhound Hill past St. Marys Church and the Greyhound pub.

In 1950 I left school to join the army. After my demob I worked at various jobs until marrying in 1955 eventually moving to Waltham Cross and then in 1961 We emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia where we still live.

I havent been fortunate enough to have a holiday in the UK although I still keep in touch with friends that I made all those years ago.

Those days in Colindale and the Burnt Oak area were happy despite the war in the early days. We walked unafraid for miles staying out until all hours and in all weathers. Even though I now live opposite a large park we rarely see children playing unattended as we used to. We were very lucky in the freedom that we had.

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