大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by a volunteer from the CSV Action Desk at Radio Lincolnshire on behalf of Sandra Shawley and has been added to the site with her permission. Sandra Shawley fully understands the site's term and conditions"

I was four years old and an only child.
one day mam told me we were to have a little girl come to stay from London. She explained that lots of children were coming to our village for a while to be safe whilst the bombs were falling around London.

Rosie arrived, just one small bag of clothes and belongins, crying her eyes out to her mum, dad and two brothers ( who were elsewhere in the village). Coming from London to a rural setting must have been very difficult. One day Rosie ran into the woods screaming and terribly scared of a couple of chickens. Worse was to come when she came with us into the fields and the cows approached us in a very inquisitive way. Funnily enough she took to the pigs and goats and after about eighteen months was the proud owner of an orphan goat.

We had many problems with Rosie. I don't think she ever adapted to our ways and open spaces. Everyone in the village supported Rosie and the other evacuees, by handing down spare clothes and sharing toys.

The evacuee's parents used to write and keep in touch with the children but were rarely able to visit.

It must have been a terrible time for Rosie and her family.

July 2005

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