大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Teresa Cammock from CSV Action Desk on behalf of Jean Muriel Gregory and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Gregory fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

When WW2 broke out in September 1939, I was just 12. My mother, father, older brother and I lived in Sycamore Road, Bournville, adjacent to the shops at Bournville Green.

I was evacuated with other children from Bournville School to a village called Oldland Common, between Bristol and Bath.

The school was very small, (2 classrooms) so the evacuated children attended in the mornings and the local children in the afternoons. We had our own teachers from Bournville, who also looked after our welfare when necessary.

I can remember developing an abscess on my finger after picking blackberries and my teacher came to the doctor鈥檚 with me when I had the abscess lanced!

Along with my 7 year old cousin and a 12 year old Czechoslovakian refugee, I was placed with retired army captain (a widower) and his housekeeper, in a lovely large, detached, grey stone house. When I think back, it must have been quite hard for the housekeeper, Miss Tucker, to look after us along with all her other duties.

She was rushed into hospital with appendicitis soon after Christmas and we were then brought home. Captain Jay kept in touch by letter for a very long time, until his solicitor wrote informing me of his death.

He used to sign himself as 鈥淭he Old Leaf Sweeper鈥� which I imagine stemmed from the fact that he was a keen gardener.

I remember him as a lovely man who had no children of his own and obviously enjoyed having children around. When his housekeeper was not there he allowed us certain liberties, one of which was to sit in the lovely drawing room with him in the evenings 鈥� Miss Tucker kept us in the breakfast room! He would take us into bath on Saturdays and gave us money to spend which we thought was wonderful.

Shortly after returning home, I passed an exam to go to Greenmore College, in order to learn shorthand, typing, office studies, etc., alongside normal school subjects.

The college was situated in the city and was bombed when The Great western Arcade had a direct hit during one night's raid.
Edgbaston high school then agreed to share their premises on the Bristol Road, with Greenmore College.

I can well remember picking up lumps of shrapnel along Bristol Road whilst walking to school when the trams were not running.

Having started work at the age of 14 and 陆, by the time I was almost 17, I was working in the Laboratory Office at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (opened 1939).

In June 1944 some of the hospital office staff, were formed into two teams in order to register the wounded forces as they came into the hospital, after the 鈥淒鈥� Day landings (Operation Overlord) in France.

The convoys of wounded always arrived overnight, so the admin teams were organised into attending alternately, and whilst we were waiting for their arrival we slept on camp beds in the Board room 鈥� very uncomfortable!

My boss, the senior biochemist, was not at all happy about me having time off during the day after convoy duty, so I worked in the day as well. At least I felt I was doing something worthwhile.

When it was our team鈥檚 turn for duty, if I was going out I had to leave a message at home regarding my whereabouts and the police would come and fetch me 鈥� no mobile phones in those days!! On one occasion I was at a dance when the police called for me, which I think puzzled many people.

On May 8th 1945, the VE celebrations were amazing and people were so very happy. So much was organised in such a short time, street parties, bonfires, dancing, etc.

In Bournville the Cadbury fire brigade (many of whom lived in firemen鈥檚 houses in Sycamore Road) organised a fancy dress party, followed by a huge bonfire in front of the Cadbury day continuation school, right by bournville Green and the shops.

It was a really great occasion!!

August 15th and VJ Day was perhaps even more exciting; and again there were many activities.

So many people seemed to be milling around, transferring from one road or area to another and taking in as much enjoyment as they could. On this occasion, a friend and I went into the city and joined all the happy celebrating there.

For some time prior to VE Day, my mother and I had been visiting a young paratrooper who had been badly wounded and was in Dudley Road Hospital. We got to know of him because his home was in Harwich where my brother鈥檚 minesweeper was in for re-fit, and John鈥檚 family were very kind to my brother.

By VE Day john was well enough to have days away from hospital so he was delighted to join in the celebrations with us!!

With the exception of one occasion when the canal bridge in Bournville Lane was hit, Bournville escaped the bombings. Mainly, it was believed to be because of Cadbury鈥檚 excellent camouflage.

During the war, Blackpool was one of the places where people could go for holidays.

In 1944 when I was just 17, I met a 19 year old Air Force boy at a dance in the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool. Three days after we met, he was posted to India for two and a half years.

In July 1949 we were married and have now been married for 56 years!

There were happy times and sad times during the war, but everyone worked together so well.

These are all memories I will never forget. Strangely enough, I never remember feeling scared during the war, except perhaps of the spiders in the air raid shelter!!

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