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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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My Evacuations

by Gelsomina

Contributed by听
Gelsomina
People in story:听
Jasmine Stephanie Belloni
Location of story:听
Streatham, Minehead, London, Brighton, Streatham, Brighton, Streatham
Background to story:听
Civilian
Article ID:听
A3402613
Contributed on:听
13 December 2004

It was the last day of August 1939.I was six and three quarters old.
My mother (a vegetarian) made me my favourite tea: sandwiches of blackcurrant jam, honey and cream.
I got up early on the 1st day of September and I was put on a coach with my school friends and teachers at Michael Hall School, Streatham, and we went on what seemed like a very, very long journey. I remember stopping only once en route.
When we reached Minehead, it was dark. I was billeted with a very nice family and given a bed in the dining room window recess.
I remember the sounds wafting over of the Army Camp bugler in the mornings and evenings and I soon knew the tunes by heart.
My hostess used all the food that I had brought with me for bedtime treats for me and I learned the delights of 'MEAT' dishes such as Shepherds Pie!
I thought I was on holiday! School started only on the last day before my father came to take me home. Before that it was just the beach and walks on the Moor.
In the middle of London we stayed in my father's stockroom until Christmas. Then I went to my grandmother's home in Brighton where I stayed for another year and where there were two older evacuee girls besides me.
1940 was a hot summer and I shall never forget the evening that we had to leave our beach chalet across the barbed wire along where Volks Railway runs(Must have been post Dunkirk I feel).
I returned home to Streatham where I stayed all through the Blitz, only returning to my grandmother's home at Brighton during the Buzz Bomb period, after one of them had made a direct hit on our school gymnasium. (Such a shame as I was looking forward to using the ropes!)
This move back to Brighton turned out not to be too peaceful as Buzz bombs were being shot down just behind our road on the Downs!
I moved back home to Streatham in time for the V2s.
By this time nobody cared as there was no warning when these bombs dropped on you!

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Sussex Category
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