大象传媒

This contribution to WW2 People's War was provided at an event held at Hethersett Library attended by the 大象传媒 Radio Norfolk Action Desk. The story has been written and submitted to the website by Mary Pryke with the permission and on behalf of Glenda Anderton (niece).

DAYS OF EVACUATION

War clouds had gathered overhead,
and came the day we were to dread.
Enemy invasion was very near,
and many people were in great fear.

Tank traps and barricades on our beaches were set,
hotel rooms had to remain unlet.
All the people were told to go,
to what and to where we did not know.

Many husbands to the war had gone,
leaving mothers and families to manage alone.
So to the railway station we struggled along,
adding to the already swollen throng.

Special trains were there to take us away,
to places for six weeks we were told to stay.
Much loved pets were destroyed, they could not come,
and of course could not be left alone at home.

We arrived at Chipping Sodbury, a small Gloucestershire town.
In a large school hall we were all sat down.
Tea and buns were then placed before us,
then once again we boarded a bus.

In different directions we were all taken,
by this time we were all tired and very shaken.
Then a village school loomed ahead,
if only we could go to bed.

Once again, we were then devided,
for grownups our hosts had not provided.
Unaccompanied children they were expecting,
but soon beds were arranged and we all were resting.

Next day the terrain we went to explore,
never had I seen such a village before.
A place I thought only existed in books,
and the people giving us such strange looks.

From the vicarage there, we were taboo,
such was Christianity from the vicars point of view.
Most people were kind as their homes they were sharing,
and after a while no one was staring.

To a neighbouring town a bus once a week,
from shop to shop our rations to seek.
Milk from the farm doors we had to get,
no pasteurisation down there yet.

In the village school two rooms were seen,
for children of ages four to fourteen.
The babes by one of the big girls were taught,
of teacher training she had nought.

Make do and mend was the order of the day,
coupons for everything we had to pay.
What blessings we had as we looked around,
for such beautiful scenery was to be found.

The woods so close, the tree covered slopes,
helped us all to keep up our hopes.
With the leafy lane with the stream running through,
the Cotswold hills with their lovely view.

One cottage, my children and I stayed in,
had a large brick well in the front garden.
The back garden was long, pig sties at one end,
the toilet was also there in a shed.

From the street taps some villagers fetched their water,
from this task even I did not falter.
Precious was every drop we carried,
so careful were we not to be hurried.

Bedrooms only divided by a high wall,
with spaces above over which children would call.
Cooking was done by oil stove or open fire,
with chimneys so wide one could see the sky.

Before the kettle boiled a fire had to be lit,
and we fed it with twigs bit by bit.
Bad luck when in the pans, soot would fall,
once down the chimney came Jack's ball.

Oil lamps again to see at night,
in the bedroom it had to be candlelight.
Even in peacetime, no lamps in the street,
such care we took when placing our feet.

Jack won a scholarship while we were there,
had to walk three miles to school, lifts were rare.
As he was not of the hurrying kind,
by most of the others he was left behind.

When we came home, the time was near,
for him to attend the Grammar school here.
Until he wished the technical to attend,
left the grammar and went there instead.

The war was not going at all well,
but we had to stay come high water or hell,
Hell it was at home I'm afraid,
Bomb after bomb and the hit and run raids.

Damaged homes for many then there were,
many shops and houses blown clean in the air.
After a while people drifted back home,
Wise? Perhaps not but still they would come.

Over the months, gradually the town grew,
to start again their lives anew.
Returned at last to their own front door,
to wait with fortitude the end of the war.

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