大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by a volunteer from CSV London on behalf of Mr Plumb and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Plumb fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I was seven years old when the war broke. I was living in Shoreditch, East London. I was evacuated twice, first to Northampton, for three months. Then in June 1940, I was evacuated for the second time to Cornwall for five years! My father was in the army. I lived with my mother and brother and sister in a cottage in Cornwall. It was a farm cottage, very rural, incredibly different from Shoreditch. I remember Plymouth and Falmouth being bombed鈥攜ou could see red sky, though we didn鈥檛 hear bombs.

We came back to London after the war was over. I keep contacts down in Cornwall. I still visit the area, I have friends there and stay with them. My memories of Cornwall are very happy.

When the war was over (I was 13 years old), I was pleased to see Dad as he鈥檇 been away all that time. Although I had no real concept of what war starting and finishing meant, I just associated it with being in Cornwall. Father was in the Royal Artillery鈥攖raining officer up in Carlisle鈥攁nd finished up in North Africa and then Italy. He was there when Monty was.

I love Cornwall now, but my wife gets sick of me going on and on about it. It was a very happy time.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.