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A Country War. Billeting and backpacks.

During the War the ‘Airborne‘ were billeted in Bulford Village, Salisbury Plain, which was my home at that time, my mother used to put up some of the men and their wives before they went away.

There were six of us at that time, 2 girls and 4 boys, and we were always laughing and joking with them all while in our house. Mum bought us all up on her own. The train station was just down the road, and as the soldiers boarded the carriages, as they were full the train used to shunt the carriages along the track which was at the end of our garden. All down the road each family used to tie a bottle of beer to the clothes props and handed them up to the train, whoever took them were the lucky lads. We always had lots of laughs and tears and sometimes our house was overflowing, some came back and some sadly never.

We often wonder if there is at least one who stayed with us, I was only 11 years old at the time, the eldest of six, but can remember some of them, each Remembrance Sunday I look and think about them all. I have several letters sent to my mother during the War (treasure them). If there is just one who stayed with us would be wonderful to know. The address was then Mrs Florrie Taylor, 14 Station Terrace, Bulford Village, Near Salisbury, Wilts.

The Scots regiment arrived once and played the bagpipes through the village up to Bulford Camp Barracks, the Canadians and Americans as well have several burials in the Village cemetery.

The tanks and army vehicles used to rumble through the village, the poor young soldiers used to march up and down the hill near us with all their backpacks etc. Always felt sorry for them, they looked so young. We also had some Germans who would go up the hill, they used to work on the land. Although our village is tucked in the centre it was and still is tiny with Larkhill, Bulford Camp, Tidworth and Boscombe Down surrounding it.

Should you wish to make contact with Doreen, please phone the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum on 01722 332151 and ask for Caroline.

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