Children of war; BOOK RECOUNTS EXCITEMENT AND TERROR OF LIFE DURING THE BLITZ.

Byline: VICKY ROBSON

THROUGH innocent eyes they had watched in fascination and horror as the bombs started dropping from the sky.

And 70 years on, they can still vividly remember being chilled to the bone by the sound of air raid sirens.

Now, memories of what life was like as a child during the Second World War have been brought together in a special book.

From terrifying mortar shell attacks to the excitement of sleeping in a shelter, The Snoring Of A Thousand Men, has been produced by members of the University of the Third Age (U3A), in Newcastle, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the start of the war on September 1, 1939.

Walking to school past rows of houses reduced to piles of rubble overnight, counting the bomber planes going out and coming back and finding shards of glass in toys left outside, are among some of the childhood tales recounted.

Respected writer Fay Weldon - author of The Life and Loves of a She Devil - penned the forward for the book and has described it as "vivid, moving and important".

The compilation of stories from 27 members of the U3A - a self-help organisation and charity for retired people - was launched at a special war-themed event at St John's Church, in Grainger Street, Newcastle yesterday.

Ruth Lesser, 79, of the U3A, designed and edited the book and also wrote one of the contributions.

Ruth, of Spital Tongues, in Newcastle, said: "These are extremely varied accounts of what life back then was like - from bombs dropping in the garden, to someone being evacuated from Newcastle.

"And it's amazing how different people's experiences were. Some people remember it as a very happy time and it was in a way, because families pulled together and were very close.

"So I think it's an important book, as described by Fay Weldon, because it's a historical document and it's in people's own words."

Members of the U3A dressed in 1940s-style clothing and held demonstrations of how girls would brown their legs with tea and draw imitation seams up them when stockings were hard to get during the war, at yesterday's event.

Memorabilia, including gas masks and books were also on display, music by Vera Lynn was played and typical rationed recipes of eggless cakes and Spam were offered as refreshments.

The U3A is for retired people who want to extend and share their learning and experiences and lead an active, sociable life.

The book is on sale now priced pounds 3.98, plus postage and packaging at pounds 1.02 per copy, from the Newcastle U3A, 1 Pink Lane, Newcastle, NE1 5DW. It will also be on sale at Newcastle's Central Library for one day only on October 1 - to mark Older Person's Day.

For more information, call the U3A on [phone].

CAPTION(S):

the book, which includes a photo of her uncle, Robert, who met President Roosevelt, both ringed