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This story has been written onto the ´óÏó´«Ã½ People’s War site by CSV Story gatherer Jessica on behalf of Margaret Toller. They fully understand the terms and conditions of the site.
I was born and brought up in the Parish of Morwenstow, north Cornwall. I remember the war starting in 1939. My parents, Albert and Kathleen Miners, were farmers and my mother catered for tourists but as soon as the war was declared they all packed up and went home.
Sometime later Cleave Camp - now Morwenstow Earth Station - was built. As it was very isolated and no bus service to Bude, the service men were very cut off during their two week stays there.
A single Scottish lady got permission to start a sort of canteen for them on the edge of the camp. She also got official permission to use one of the old farm cottages on the camp to live in. Her one stipulation to the ’Boys’, as she called them, that there was to be a short religious service on Sunday evenings. Those who didn’t join in had to be quiet then. Somehow Miss Dutton persuaded people from various branches of Christianity to preside over these services - as my dad was a Methodist Local Preacher he somehow got involved. When he went my Mum helped make tea, wash up etc. Some of them were invited to our home and became family friends.
One day one of the ’Boys’ wrote the two new verses to ‘Eternal Father, Father Strong to Save’. We never did know who wrote them.
We would stand outside our farmhouse of an evening and watch the glow in the sky of Plymouth burning, often the bombing and the bursts of extra colour when bombs exploded.

A Prayer for Men on Service.

Eternal Father, strong to save,
Whose arm hath bound the restless wave,
Who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep
Its own appointed limits keep,
Oh hear us when we cry to Thee
For those in peril on the sea.

For all our airmen, Lord, we pray,
Be with them ever, night and day,
When dangers dark their lives surround
In thy strong arm may help be found,
On guard with Thine unceasing care
All those in peril in the air.

Our soldiers too, where’re they be,
We know they are not far from Thee
If battles rage or tasks seem drear
Help them to know that Thou art near.
Both soul and body keep, we pray
From perils that beset their way.

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