大象传媒

My first experience of being a London evacuee was being sent to a village in Norfolk named Paston just prior to war being declared in September 1939.

I was sent to a school for registration and evacuation to a school I did not attend to be with two of my cousins to make sure I would know someone and would not be alone as I was an only child. When we waved goodbye to our parents we did not know where we were going and it seemed a long way from home. We eventually arrived at the village hall and were allocated to different families bur there did not appear to be anyone willing to take three children and I was placed with a family with one child who was younger than me to whom the Mother was very protective.

I settled down and helped with collecting and cleaning of about 200 eggs every morning before I walked to school which was over two miles away and the children had to be punctual 鈥� or else! I heard on the wireless with the family that war was declared but did not really appreciate what it was all about.

My Dad visited me every Sunday and often missed the last train back for the connection to London and, as there was not any accommodation available, often had to sleep overnight in the station toilet ready for an early morning train.

There are lots of memories that have stayed with me, one of which was that I had to eat everything up at a meal, otherwise you got it for the next one! Also being pushed into stinging nettles on the way back from school and collecting fish that had been washed up on Corton beach and putting them into my new red blazer pockets which left a nasty smell, and Mr Dixon singing to me a popular song of the time called "Down Mexico Way".

The air raids had not started in London and, one Sunday, my Dad came to see me as usual and was very upset to find me ill in bed with tonsillitis, high temperature and a very nasty skin rash. He decided to take me home immediately against all advice and got me dressed with all the clothing I could put on to keep me warm. Once back home, Mum and Dad soon had me back in good health.

I used to wonder why, when Mum was asked how many children she had, she would reply 鈥渙ne, so far鈥� but soon discovered she was having a baby.

The raids had started up by then and, once again, schools were closed and evacuation loomed but, this time, with my family 鈥� Mum, Grandmother, two Aunts and cousins, plus Snowball the dog 鈥� and this time we were billeted in an old Rectory in Weston Turnville and then to another village called Waddesdon near Aylesbury.

Mum had my baby brother in 1940 in a mansion called Shardilows which had been taken over by Queen Charlotte鈥檚 Hospital as a maternity home. This has now been made into luxury apartments.

We eventually returned once more to London and spent most of our nights in the Anderson Shelter in the garden and, at a later date, our home was blasted through and Mum never saved anything for 鈥渂est鈥� after that.

Dad, along with other members of the family, had been called up so we managed until the War ended and families got back together again with big celebrations.

*THIS STORY WAS SUBMITTED TO THE PEOPLES' WAR WEBSITE BY A VOLUNTEER FROM 大象传媒 ESSEX ON BEHALF OF PHYLLIS HILL AND HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE SITE WITH HER PERMISSION. SHE UNDERSTANDS THE SITE'S TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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