大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Mairi Campbell of the 大象传媒 on behalf of Linda Duncan and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.

Seemingly peaceful countryside at the Loch of Murray - 1940 -5. From the memory of a ten year old at the time.

Waking up one morning, we lived on a farm, to find a tank gun protruding from a cattle court door way, having arrived during the night and taken advantage of available cover, for this was an area where much training exercise was carried out. It was not uncommon to meet convoys of military vehicles and armour on the country roads.

There was a big army camp at Pinefield, columns of soldiers marching from the railway station, frequently seen in this area, many of the big houses, Westfield and Gordonstoun, Duffus House, Hopeman Lodge were occupied by army personnel. In the wooded grounds of the big houses and elsewhere were many Nissan Huts. Family houses also 鈥渃ontributed鈥� to accommodation. In one farmhouse, all the spare bedrooms were taken over, at different times, by a brigadier (sometimes even with Wife). A Norwegian Captain and his Wife, the Brigadiers batsman stayed in the shed outside and the farmers wife had to get up early enough to light the fire that heated the water so that the Brigadier鈥檚 batsman could run the Brigadier鈥檚 bath at 7.30am.

Fear of invasion of our beaches 鈥� resulting in lines of concrete blocks as coastal defences. Many remaining today 鈥� even where the coastline has altered. Practices for D-Day landings were being carried out, one heard later.

With small airfields arouns, as well as Kinross and Lossiemouth, there were Muirdale, Rose Valley, Mandeen, Milltown and Dalladry. Schoolboys were expert spotters and could identify a huge range of aircrafts which could be seen in the skies above us.

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