大象传媒

My Father was called up to up to the army in 1939 he was passed as grade one although he only had sight in one eye.
He was in the R.A.M.C. in the eighth army.his number was Lance Corporal,A J HORRELL 7397462. He left behind a Wife and Three Children a Boy born on December 25th
1934 a daughter born August 23rd 1936 another son born April 21st 1938.
When my father went to the war we were living in a basement flat in Ferndale.Rhondda. South Wales.We had one living room one bedroom and a kitchen a very large garden at the rear of the flat.
My mother had to go to work to support three young children to clothe and feed us all. She took a job as housekeeper to a very affluent family in Ferndale. My mother did not live in but would take her children with her the family she worked for were very good to us they were called the Lloyd family,MrLloyd was an Optician and Miss Lloyd was a school teacher.
My recollections of my early schooldays i would follow my brother to school every day so one day the head mistress called my mother and said i could start the very next day i was only 3 years of age. Ican recall during my time in the Infants school having a Negro spiritualist playing the piano in the music room but cannot remember the song she sang. one of the better days of the war.
Christmases were not what they are today you were lucky to get an apple and a coin in your stocking ther were no luxuries about then.
My father woould send us christmas and birthday cards with no location on them just somewhere in Italy or some other Country written on the bottom of the card.
My mother used to send my father tobacco in a tin she would put cabbege in the tin to keep the tobacco moist.I recall one occasion
my mother wanted red apples to send to him she went to our local greengrocer and wanted the apples from the window but they would not give them to her they said you had to take what was there so my went without apples she would not accept the ones they were allowing her to purchase my mother was a very fussy person where food was concerned.
I remember the blackouts we would have to cover the windows with black cloth otherwise the airaid wardens would knock the door and give you a oiece of their minds this was to combat the planes seing light in your window and knowing where to drop their bombs.The blackout years were very frightening for everyone you would hear the air raid warning and you would have to hide until you heard the all clear the hooter would sound and you knew everything was alright.
At school you would have to go to the school air raid shelter the gas mask you were given by the government some had mickey mouse masks others had ordinary ones.
you had to carry them everywhere with you.
My father had sent my mother coty make up
my cousinc from Pontygwaith and use my mothers powder and paint to go out and find boys to go out with for an evening.
My Father visited many Countries Jerusalem,Beirut,Gaza and many more to many to mention.My mother was a good cook she wold make Stuffed fish it was absolutely gorgeous the flavours of the stuffing and cooked in butter was delightful i only wish i had the recipe today that is one thing i regret
When i was a small child my Auntie Mary and my cousin Megan used to come down our house in the evening my Mother would be sitting in one corner of the room and my Auntie in the other dozing while we children would be playing scotch or release or hide and seek. I remember when i was young my father' family lived in Treorchy which was in the other valley Rhondda Fawr.
Inthose days you had to catch a bus to Ystrad Station and another bus to Treorch.On one occasion my Mother was carrying a pint of milk, as milk was short in those days and ubfortunatly my Mother dropped the milk all over her dress she was 'nt half cursing the trip to treorchyto visit our grandparents. My father was demobbed in 1946 i remember the day vividly
my Mother heard footsteps on the steps in front of the house the postman had already been and she said its that stupid postman has forgotten spmething, but instead of that it was my Father a stranger to us very unerving for three children who had'nt seen their Father since they were all but babies.
But we soon got over the shock of seeing our Father he was a wonderful man as was my Mother

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