大象传媒

This story appears courtesy of and with thanks to the Liverpool Diocesan Care and Repair Association and James Taylor.

Mrs Florence Tyrer, born in 1909, found sending her children away heartbreaking:-

The eldest boy was evacuated to Wales.

What did he take with him?

Well he had a little knapsack hanging over his shoulder with his clothing in. He had new clothes while he was away because he was able to get them. The lady that he went to had a fruit shop and she had one of these men who used to come around with credit. She got him an overcoat which we paid for. My other son Bill was evacuated over to Wales and he wasn鈥檛 happy there. The people were alright with him but he wanted to be at home so he was only there for three or four months.

We used to be able to see the lights in the sky when the incendiary bombs were dropping and they always used to worry him. He was only none. I was broken hearted and I couldn鈥檛 think of anything else but the little boy I was separated from.

When that song was on, 鈥淭he White Cliffs of Dover鈥�, I used to have to walk out of the room when I heard the line 鈥淛immy will go to sleep in his own little room again鈥�. I couldn鈥檛 help it, I was choked. I couldn鈥檛 settle till he came home. I wouldn鈥檛 have brought him home if he hadn鈥檛 wanted to come. I wouldn鈥檛 have made him.鈥�

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