Maurice's memories of the war
Maurice Goymer with his book. |
Remembering the children who lost their lives during the Second World War inspired a Kenilworth man to collect his own childhood memories.
Maurice Goymer, 77, has written a book about his life in London during the conflict and air raids. Bombs, Stinging Nettles and Doodlebugs takes a look at the war through the eyes of a young boy while his home was destroyed around him and his fellow school pupils were evacuated.
Mr Goymer decided to write the book after being contacted by a lady who was organising a dedication headstone for a young boy called Kenneth Carter who had been to his school. Kenneth died after a bomb fell on the draper’s shop to which he had been evacuated, and his body was found in an unmarked grave in 2004.
Although Mr Goymer did not know the boy he attended the headstone ceremony and began thinking about his own war experiences -something he had not thought about for some time.
In his book he writes: “Little did I know at the time that this chance contact was to take me back over 60 years.
“Emotions and incidents that had been hidden in the vaults of my memory surfaced just as clearly as the day that they had taken place.”
When he returned from his trip he was inspired to start collecting his own memories.
He said: “When I got back my daughter was asking me questions and she said I should write a book. The more I thought about it the more I thought I would sit down at the computer and see what comes out.”
The book, which spans from 1939 to the end of the war when Mr Goymer was 16 years of age, also addresses moral issues in warfare and the lives that were lost.
It thanks the New Zealand troops who helped the British troops before other nations became involved.
Mr Goymer added: “It was wonderful to write. I would say to anybody that they had a book in them. It is just a question of believing that you have a book to write.”
Bombs, Stinging Nettles and Doodlebugs costs £5.99 and can be bought from the internet or at Browsers bookshop in Kenilworth.
www.athenapress.com
