Philip Wilton

Philip Wilton as a baby wearing his christening robe made out of parachute silk pictured with his mother

Philip Wilton

Philip Wilton

Philip Wilton

Childhood memories of wartime in Heston.

Air raids and evacuation

Born in August 1941, Philip spent the most nights in his early childhood in the family’s air raid shelter. Philip’s first memories of the war are of V2 rockets landing in the area. Following these air raids during the summer of 1944, Philip was evacuated with his mother to relatives in Leeds. After only six weeks, Philip and his mother returned to Heston. Philip recalls, ‘the best things I remember about that time was coming home again to Heston and visiting Kirkstall Abbey’.  

VE-Day

On VE-day, Philip recalls visiting his grandfather at West Middlesex Hospital with his mother and grandmother where his grandfather toasted them with a glass of Whiskey. Later the same day, Philip recalls how he watched a bonfire party on the street from his bedroom window.

Downloads

Philip Wilton (5k)
To read more about Philip's wartime experiences in his own words please press the above link.