´óÏó´«Ã½

BRIAN AND DAVID ~ EVACUEES.
DOODLE BUGS (THE FIRST ROCKET)
AIMED AT LONDON FROM FRANCE BY THE GERMANS, THEY RAN ON PARAFFIN. WHEN THE PARAFFIN RAN OUT THEY DROPPED! ANYWHERE!! MY DAD SAW THE FIRST ONE AND SAID TO OUR MUM "THE BOYS MUST GO AWAY". WE WERE ATTENDING BRIDGE ROAD SCHOOL IN WILLESDEN (N E LONDON). IT WAS A GOOD SCHOOL, TWO TEACHERS I REMEMBER; ONE WAS A LITTLE FAT MAN, THE OTHER WAS A TALL, TfflN MAN NAMED MR CROSBY.
ON EMPIRE DAY ALL THE CHILDREN WERE DIVIDED INTO GROUPS REPRESENTING A COMMONWEALTH COUNTRY. MY JOB WAS TO CARRY THE FLAG FOR AUSTRALIA.
MY MATE, DAVID BURTE, WAS THE SAME AGE AS ME. ON THEIR WAY BACK FROM NEASDEN HE AND HIS MUM STOPPED TO HAVE A CHAT WITH MY MUM WHO WAS WASHING HER STEP. THERE ALSO WAS MY AUNTY BET, MY MUM'S SISTER FROM NEXT DOOR WITH MY COUSINS JEAN AND PAULINE. WE ALL HEARD THE SIREN AND MY MUM SAID "ALL INDOORS". IN OUR BEST ROOM WAS A MORRISON SHELTER. LIKE A LARGE TABLE MADE OF STEEL WITH HEAVY GAUGE MESH ON THREE SIDES. MUM HUNG BLANKETS ALL THE WAY ROUND TO HIDE WHAT IT WAS AND TO STOP ANY LITTLE BITS HITTING US. WE ALL CLIMBED INSIDE AND WAITED FOR THE ALL CLEAR SIREN BUT SOMEONE PASSED WIND! EVERYBODY LOOKED AT DAVID BURTE, MRS BURTE DRAGGED HIM OUT, GAVE HIM A GOOD HIDING THEN GOT BACK INSIDE THE SHELTER, NEVER MIND THE BOMBS DROPPING AROUND US! MUM WORKED AT THE GAS, WATER HEATING CO. MAKING PARTS FOR HEATERS. AN OFFICIAL FROM THE HOME OFFICE CAME AND SAID "OVERNIGHT WE WILL CHANGE THE LAYOUT OF THE FACTORY AND YOU WILL MAKE BREN GUNS". SOMEONE AT THE BACK SAID "WILL THE RATE GO UP"? IT DIDN'T! AT THE SAME TIME MY DAD WORKED A NIGHT SHIFT IN A BAKERS. ANYWAY, WHAT HAPPENED WAS EACH LADY WOULD TAKE IN HER OWN SNACK AND TEA FLASK IN HER HOLDALL. MUM'S MATES "LOADED" HER BAG AND WHEN SHE GOT HOME SHE FOUND 2 MAGAZINES FULL WITH BULLETS SO THE BAG WEIGHED QUITE A LOT! MY DAD SAID TO US "TAKE YOUR SISTER GLORIA", WHO WAS ABOUT 3 YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME, "OUTSIDE" WHILE MUM SAID QUITE A LOT ABOUT HER "MATES"!
UNCLE ERN LIVED NEXT DOOR WITH HIS WIFE AUNTY BET WHO WAS MY MUM'S SISTER. A NISSEN SHELTER WAS DELIVERED OUTSIDE YOUR HOUSE IN SECTIONS WITH A BIG BAG OF NUTS AND BOLTS AND A DRAWING SHOWING HOW TO BUILD THE SHELTER. YOU HAD TO DIG A BIG HOLE FOR IT AND DAD AND UNCLE ERN TOSSED A COIN TO SEE WHO'S HOLE SHOULD BE DUG FIRST. DAD WON. THEY TOOK OUT A SECTION OF FENCE TO WORK TOGETHER. NOW DAD WANTED TO BUILD HIS SHELTER THE SAME AS THE PLAN BUT UNCLE ERN WAS IN THE COLDSTREAM GUARDS AND WAS VERY TALL AND SAID DIG THE HOLE "THE DEEPER THE BETTER". SO THEY DUG THE HOLE, BOLTED THE SHELTER TOGETHER, DROPPED IT IN THE HOLE AND BACK FILLED IT. THEY ASKED THE WIVES TO PACK ALL THE EARTH OVER THE TOP OF THE SHELTER. THEY IN TURN ASKED US FOUR, BRIAN ME JEAN AND PAULINE TO DO IT. THEY BRIBED US WITH BISCUITS AND LEMONADE. THEY SAID THERE WERE 4 OF US AND ONLY 2 OF THEM AND THEY WOULD ONLY GET IN THE WAY!
THEN THE MEN STARTED ON "ERN'S HOLE" WHICH WAS DEEPER THAN OURS. ERN LAID A CONCRETE FLOOR, DAD TAMPED DOWN THE EARTH AND LAID LINO ON TOP. ERN BROUGHT DRY MIX HOME IN HIS SATCHEL ON HIS BIKE AND COVERED AN AREA 2IN THICK X 3FT X3FT. IT LOOKED GOOD. A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER HE CALLED DAD OVER AND SAID "WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT JIM" AND LIFTED A BOARD AWAY FROM THE ENTRANCE OF HIS SHELTER. WE ALL LOOKED IN, IT HAD ABOUT 2 FEET OF WATER IN IT!!
DAD AND UNCLE ERN ALSO ACTED AS FIRE SPOTTERS ON TOP OF THE GAS, WATER HEATING CO. THERE WAS A LITTLE HUT WITH SANDBAGS AROUND IT WITH A TELEPHONE CONNECTING THEM TO THE POLICE. ERN LAID ON THE BEER, 1 QUART EACH PER SHIFT. DAD WORKED NIGHTS AND ERN WORKED EARLY DAYS SO THEY HAD TO DO BAD SHIFTS ON FIRE WATCH, 8-10 OR 10-12 PM.
GOING AWAY
WE WENT ON STEAM TRAINS FROM EUSTON STATION UP NORTH TO LANCASHIRE. THE COACHES ON THE TRAINS HAD A CORRIDOR DOWN ONE SIDE. EACH CARRIAGE HAS ON AVERAGE 130 CHILDREN WITH 1 ADULT TO LOOK AFTER THE CHILDREN. THEY HANDED OUT A PAPER CUP FULL OF MILK TO EACH CHILD. SOME BOYS WENT TO THE NEXT COMPARTMENT AND MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A DOG FIGHT IN THE SKY. ONE BOY WHO WANTED TO SEE A DOG FIGHT PUT HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WINDOW AND LOOKED UP.
IT WAS THEN THE BOYS IN THE PREVIOUS CARRIAGE UNLOADED THEIR MILK OUT OF THE WINDOW.
OVERNIGHT WE EVEN SLEPT IN A SCHOOL. WE MADE A LONG CROCODILE FROM THE STATION TO THE SCHOOL, I THINK IT WAS IN MORCAMBE. AS YOU WALKED INTO THE SCHOOL YOU WERE GIV EN A PILLOW AND A BLANKET. THE HALL WAS FILLED WITH MATTRESSES FROM WALL TO WALL. YOU PICKED YOUR SPOT AND SETTLED DOWN. DURING THE NIGHT, IF YOU NEEDED THE TOILET, YOU JUST WALKED OVER BODIES. IN THE MORING IT WAS "PICK TIME". WE WERE TAKEN TO A BIG HALL AND FORMED A LARGE CIRCLE ALL FACING OUTWARDS. THEN PEOPLE CAME AND PICKED WHICH CHILDREN THEY WANTED. A NICE LADY PICKED MY BROTHER, WHO SAID, "WHERE I GO, HE GOES", AND POINTED AT ME. THE LADY SAID "WHY NOT". SO WE WENT WITH HER IN HER CAR. SHE TOLD US SHE WAS A TEACHER AND HER HUSBAND WAS A HEADMASTER. MY BROTHER AND I LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND THOUGHT IT'S WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT! A HEADMASTER!! ACTUALLY HE WAS BRILLIANT. ONE THING HE WAS STRICT ABOUT WAS HIS LAWN. IT WAS LEVEL AND THE PERFECT COLOUR. HE WORE BOWLING SHOES TO CUT THE GRASS. WHEN THEY WOULD GO OUT ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON, THEY WOULD LEAVE OUR TEA IN THE COAL SHED IN A TIN WITH A BOTTLE OF LEMONADE AND 2 BEAKERS. WE WOULD SIT IN THE BACK GARDEN AND LOOK AT THIS LAWN.NOW WE ARE GROWN UP OURSELVES, WE UNDERSTAND THAT SIMPLE THINGS GIVE GREAT PLEASURE.
SCHOOL
THE LOCAL SCHOOL TOOK SOME OF US EVACUEES. THE REST OF US WENT TO A VILLAGE HALL WHICH WAS FITTED OUT WITH DESKS AND CHAIRS, BLACKBOARDS, ETC. WE ALL SAT DOWN, THEY TOOK OUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND WHEN THEY FINISHED IT WAS DINNERTIME. THEY OPENED LARGE DOUBLE DOORS WHICH LEAD INTO A FIELD, THEY SAID "OFF YOU GO". SO WE DID AND JUST KEPT ON GOING!
ONE DAY WE WENT TO MORCAMBE ON A LOCAL BUS, ABOUT 12 OF US. MY MATES AND ME, 4 OF US, THE REST WERE BRIANS AGE. HE WAS 2 YEARS OLDER THAN I WAS, I WAS 7, BRIAN WAS 9. BRIAN AND HIS MATES WENT ON THE BEACH TO PLAY FOOTBALL. ME AND MY MATES WERE ON THE PIER AND WE SAW THE TIDE COME IN AND CUT OFF BRIAN AND HIS MATES. WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. THE DUSTCART CAME TO THE PIER SO WE TOLD THE DUSTMEN. THEY WADED ACROSS TO THE BOYS; THE WATER CAME UP TO THEIR CHESTS. EACH ONE PUT A BOY ON HIS SHOULDER AND WADED BACK.
MUM
MUM CAME DOWN FOR 1 MONTH ONLY AND GOT A JOB CLEANING AND WASHING UP IN A HOUSE NEAR WHERE WE LIVED. IF WE WANTED TO SEE OUR MUM WE WERE NOT ALLOWED TO KNOCK AND ASK FOR HER.
WE HAD TO WAIT AND SEE OUR MUM THROUGH THE WINDOW AT THE SINK.
MUM SAID TO TELL ALL OUR MATES WE'RE GOING TO THE WINTER GARDENS IN MORCAMBE. TO CATCH THE FIRST SITTING WE WENT EARLY ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THERE WERE ABOUT 15 OR 16 OF US SITTING UP IN THE GODS. IT WAS GREAT AND COST SIXPENCE FOR A GROWN UP AND THREPENCE FOR A CHILD.
MRS JOHNSON.
THE LADY WE WERE STAYING WITH, MRS JOHNSON, GAVE US A BUCKET TO COLLECT WINKLES IN FROM AROUND THE BOTTOM OF A CONCRETE POST. THESE WERE SET 25FT APART IN ALL DIRECTIONS ON THE BEACH TO STOP GERMAN PLANES LANDING. MORCAMBE BAY IS PERFECT TO LAND A PLANE ON. SHE TOLD US TO TELL OUR MUM TO COME AND HAVE TEA WITH US. MRS JOHNSON ALSO TOOK US TO CARNFORTH TO BUY SOME CLOGGS WITH A WOODEN SOLE AND LEATHER UPPERS. THEIR SON WAS IN THE RAF AND GOT BADLY BURNT. HE WAS SENT HOME ON COMPASSIONATE LEAVE SO WE HAD TO MOVE ON.
THE CASTLE.
IN THE GROUNDS OF LANCASTER CASTLE IS A LARGE VICTORIAN HOUSE. IT WAS FULL OF BOYS; GOOD BOYS, BAD BOYS AND EVACUEES ALL MIXED IN TOGETHOR. IT WAS A LAUGH A MINUTE EXCEPT FOR 1 THING. WE ALL HAD OUR OWN BEDS; MY BROTHER SLEPT ON ONE SIDE OF ME AND A LAD ON THE OTHER SIDE HAD A GLASS EYE. HE WOULD TAKE IT OUT AND PLACE IT ON A HANDKERCHIEF ON THE TABLE BETWEEN US AND JUST PUT THE TOP COVER OF THE HANDKERCHIEF OVER HIS "EYE". THE WAY I WAS LAYING, I COULD JUST SEE THIS EYE, AND IT WAS WATCHING ME......
THE HOUSE HAD A MARVELOUS LIBRARY. BOTH BRIAN AND I WERE GREAT READERS AND WE WENT TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL. ONE OF THE FUNNIEST THINGS TO HAPPEN WAS WHEN SOME LADS WENT TO THE CASTLE AND ROLLED A CANNON BALL DOWN THE STAIRS, MUCH TO THE CONSTERNATION OF THE PEOPLE COMING UP THE STAIRS AT THE TIME.
OVERTON.
WE WERE NOT AT THE CASTLE LONG, ABOUT A MONTH, WHEN WE MOVED TO A VILLAGE UP THE COAST CALLED OVERTON. THIS WAS A NICE PLACE AS LONG AS YOUR TEETH WERE OK! IF YOU NEEDED TO HAVE YOUR TEETH CHECKED YOU WENT TO SEE THE LOCAL POLICEMAN. IN SUMMER YOU SAT OUTSIDE, IN WINTER YOU SAT IN THE SCULLERY. FILLINGS AND FINE WORK WOULD BE REFERRED TO THE HOSPITAL BUT IF IT WAS A STRAIGHT PULL HE PUT A SHEET ROUND YOU, YOU HELD THE BOWL WITH THE INSTRUMENTS AND HE'D WIGGLE AND PULL IT OUT. A VERY GOOD MAN.
THE HARDYS.
I THINK THE HARDY BOY WAS CALLED DAVID, ABOUT 5 YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME. HIS MUM WAS A VERY GOOD COOK BUT WHAT YOU DID NOT EAT FOR TEA YOU GOT FOR BREAKFAST. I WAS A BIT PICKY SO I WASTED A LOT OF FOOD I DID NOT LIKE AT TEA AND UP IT CAME FOR BREAKFAST. MY BROTHER WOULD EAT HIS BREAKFAST FIRST THEN SWAP PLATES WITH ME AND EAT MINE, WHATEVER IT WAS! MY BROTHER WAS A BIG MAN IN EVERY WAY!!!
MRS HARDY TOOK OUR CLOGS OVER TO THE BLACKSMITH WHO PUT HOOPS ON THE SOLE AND HEEL, GREAT FOR MAKING SPARKS.
ONE DAY WE WENT TO SEE OUR MATE AT THE OTHER END OF THE HIGH STREET WHERE THERE IS A FARM RIGHT ON THE BEND. IN THE COURTYARD IS A WELL WITH A STONE SLAB ON TOP. I STOOD ON THIS AND WORKED THE PUMP. ME AND THE SLAB WENT DOWN ABOUT 15 FEET INTO THE WATER. I GRABBED THE PIPE THAT FED THE PUMP AND MANAGED TO CLIMB UP THE PIPE. THE WELL WAS MADE OF ROUGH STONE; ONE LAID ON THE OTHER. BRIAN WENT TO GET A FARM HAND WHO REACHED DOWN AND GRABBED MY COLLAR AND PULLED ME UP.
WHEN MY MUM CAME TO SEE US, BRIAN WAS FAT AND I WAS THIN AND LITTLE. SHE SAID "HOME WITH THE PAIR OF YOU". MY MUM CAME ON A GREEN LINE BUS TO SEE US AND WE ALL TRAVELLED HOME THE SAME WAY.
CHURCHILL HAD 5 DEFENCES AGAINST THE HUN; THE AIR FORCE, THE NAVY, THE ARMY AND HOME GUARD.
THE 5â„¢ SERVICE AS WAS BRIAN AND ME AND OUR SECRET NAME WAS "EVACUEES".

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.