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I am mortified to tell you that my memories of Witney in the 40s are sketchy to say the least and it is at times like these, that I wish I had kept a diary! I spoke to Bob Holness when I received your letter and was pleased to find out that his memories are equally blurred?

However, what little I remember I will jot down and you may make of them what you will.

My home address at the start of the war:
H….. House
Willesborough,
Ashford, Kent

Address in Witney (as far as I can remember):
Number ?
Burford Road
Witney

Name of host family: Mrs I….

Name of son: Charlie (older than me)
School Address: Ashford Grammar School, Hythe Rd, Willesborough, Ashford, Kent

I cannot tell you when we came to Witney; it was certainly after the Battle of Britain, for I watched this unfold from home. I remember some heart-searching by my parents as to whether I should be dispatched or not, and I am certain that endless enemy air activity and sleepless nights forced their decision. Not easy to end your child away with the possibility of never seeing him or her again.

I have no recollection whatever of the train journey to Witney. I know we arrived late (I traveled alone — an only son). Our first night was spent in the cinema (‘Palace’), perched across the tip-up seats. I remember noises during the night as fellow pupils rolled off the seats in their sleep, with the consequent clatter as the seat cushions sprang upright. Some senior pupils slept on the stage! We greeted the early morning in the strange town with a little local exploring and most notable was the pungent burning smell of burning sulphur from the bleaching sheds of Early’s Blankets. This was followed closely by the very different odour from the local brewery.

I cannot remember being billeted - just a blur, neither can I picture my hostess's face. I can see an overall - worn all the time. It was a very different have to the one I had left - I was (am) an only child, somewhat sheltered and used to very comfortable surroundings. This did not apply to Burford Road!!! I shared their son's bed and was hugely homesick and very, very unhappy. I was eventually to catch mumps from said son and a bad time was had by all.

I think, with hindsight, I was a snob and had a lot to learn. The army cured all that later!! Shortly after starting our shared time with Witney Grammar School, the town was bombed. I remember damage to the school buildings and shallow craters on the green. We didn't go to school for awhile pending repairs.

The outstanding difference with my home area that I can remember was the local dialect!!

I was, and still am, totally besotted with aeroplanes, and Witney then was the aerophiles' paradise. My bike was sent to me on the train and my leisure time was spent at Brize Norton, Carterton and Witney aerodrome. Witney aerodrome was on the left on the Burford Road and belonged, I believe, to De Havillands. It is not my intention to bore you with aircraft but to name a few types that were never out of the sky I can quote:

® Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys
® Vickers Wellingtons
® Airspeed Oxfords
® and endless North American Harvards

Without a doubt it was the aeroplanes that kept the pangs of homesickness at bay!

My parents visited me once and stayed at the Fleece Hotel, in their annexe as far as I remember, which was at the end of the green to the left of the church. Their return to Ashford, leaving Ma behind, quadrupled my homesickness and eventually (probably due to pathetic letters home) I was "repatriated" to Ashford where I remained for the rest of the war!!

My father was directed into essential war work in Coventry and latterly cane hone and was an officer in the Home Guard and mfr mother's war work was sorting letters at the Post Office.

Fleeting and haphazard memories, I'm afraid, but I was only 12/13 at the time!

Sadly I have no memorabilia or photos of that time and you may be interested to know that I did not return to Witney until last year when my wife and I spent a few days in the Cotswolds. Lots of changes - where is the cinema?The school looks different - AND it's changed its name! The Burford Road is still there, but Witney aerodrome has gone and Brize Norton looks more like Heathrow !

Don N…..
Seabrook
Hythe
Kent

4.5.89

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