大象传媒

Around the end of 1945 German POW's came to help us, just ordinary people like ourselves, none of whom ever wanted war. They were very hard workers and we inevitably became friendly with quite a number of them. It really was all very innocent. We felt sorry for them and used to take small gifts of chocolate from our rations. The showering of gifts was far from one-sided. The Germans were brilliantly clever, and used to carve the most intricate and delicate models made from scrap timber, usually with only pen knives as their tools. These were usually fashioned from oak. One particular model was a true masterpiece of skill, it was a copy of two beautiful horses, complete with harness and timber chains. They were pulling behind them three or four oak frees. It was all delightfully smooth and polished, and infinite patience had gone into its creation.

It was also true that some of us did venture up to the POW camp to take a few gifts. It was sheer madness, and really just for the love of adventure! However, it was in complete innocence. In those girls 鈥渘ice girls didn鈥檛鈥� and being properly brought up young ladies - we didn鈥檛! In any case, for many reasons, we would not have dared. Yes - we had letters, and it was my suggestion we put them all in a tin and bury them, rather than destroy them!

When the timber corps discarded in 1946, many of us changed to farm work.

This was truly wonderful, and I personally loved every moment of it. I worked on one of Bulmer鈥檚 farms, the famous cider producers. Apart from harvesting apples, and corn, and hay making, I also worked closely with animals! I found I was in my element, my seventh heaven! I quickly learnt how to milk cows by hand, how to skim the cream from the great bowls of milk, how to wean calves by letting them suck our fingers, then gradually lower our hands into a pail of new, warm, milk! I have always loved and respected animals - and this was really all so wonderfully satisfying! I took to the work so readily that the farm manager took his first holiday in years, leaving me in charge. Here also we had German prisoners who came each day from the camp, I had to sign their forms which they brought with them to prove they had reported to work. They were certainly hard workers, and proved extremely helpful in many rather dicey situations. For example: there was just one cow who often objected to milking, and as she used to lash out strongly with her legs, it really was quite dangerous and alarming! The farm manager had always dealt with this one. I was determined to overcome my fear of this particular girl, but it was with great nervousness that I first sidled up to her prior to milking. One of the Germans was working near the milking shed and offered to help, I gratefully accepted and it wasn鈥檛 too long before he had her back legs buckled securely together!

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