大象传媒

ELIZABETH TROUGHTON'S parents were farmers at Norton near Worcester, but her three brothers were all 'in the War': one as a Civil Engineer in Norway.

During 1940 the farm had a battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment billeted in tents in the orchard, while they awaited embarkation. It was bitterly cold and Joe, the cook, played with the children showing them how to drill - using the frozen washing on the line. It was so cold her mother took pity on them and gave them milk laced with rum. When they left to go abroad, the soldiers presented her parents with a silver salver which they still have, and her parents gave them a party in the billiard room.

The Germans tried to drop bombs on Norton Barracks which was close by - but missed and landed in a field. Her father was in the Home Guard and she remembers watching Coventry burning from Whittington Tump (now just off junction 7 of the M5).

Italian prisoners of war worked for them but many did not return to Italy, settling in Worcester and around instead. One prisoner managed to scrounge some civilian clothes to wear instead of the prisoners marked clothing. The police suspected him and searched their house for his 'extra' clothes. They didn't find them because he had hidden them in the boot of the family car.

On D Day her parents brought all the prisoners into the house and gave them sherry, while her Mother played the piano. Elizabeth was very touched to see girls who had been in the Land Army at her mother's funeral.

Her three brothers survived the War and are still alive. One marched through Norway to escape, and was within 10 minutes of being captured by the Germans. In 1940 she visited her elder brother in Sherbourne where she saw a huge train full of soldiers, ready for embarkation to Norway and she cried all the way home.

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