大象传媒

It was a hot early June day in 1939. I was a 19 year old girl leaving work in Stevens Bread shop in Mercer's Row Northampton at 5.30 pm. I was going home to join a birthday party - the 6th birthday of my youngest sister.

Going through Park Street, I saw for the first time about 50 bedraggled soldiers in uniform, but some with no boots on. They were going up the Mounts from Castle Station walking slowly in the road going to St Crispin's Hall in Earl Street where they were billeted. They had come from the beaches of Dunkirk the day before.

I went home and told my father what I had seen. He immediately went to St Crispin's Hall and collected 3 of the soldiers and brought them home to Cranstoun Street. Hot water was provided for washing, socks from his sock drawer and amazingly shoes that fitted!! I was introduced to the soldiers none of who were young - one was an RSM, Andy, and another . Food from the birthday party was given to them. They were taken to the telephone box near The Racecourse Park to ring their families to let them know they had survived.

After supper at my home they went back to St Crispins Hall to sleep. They returned to eat with the family every day for about four days before the sorting out process was completed and they could go back to their own homes. They all kept in touch with for years after the war ended by letter.

That was the day I grew up - I saw first handand for the first time the devastating impact of whar on individuals. I still have vivid memories of those days and I still get emotional when I think about it.

My father Charles worked for WQ Adams as a bread roundsman and Emily my mother had four daughter. They lived in the same house in Cranstoun Street almost until they died.

My father Charles had been a POW in WWI during his captivity. He had been hit in the thight for attempting to steal potato peelings.

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