大象传媒

We were on holiday at Southend, the date was August 31st 1939 when we saw placards announcing EVACUATION TOMORROW. Immediately we returned to our accomodation and while dad and my elder brother settled with the landladay and looked after the luggage, mum took me, sister and other brother on the next train back to London.
Next morning we were all up early and made our way to our respective schools, I was to go with my sister's school, not my own, and so knew no one. Having marshalled at the school we were marched to Manor House Station and put on a tube train which took us to somewhere with very broken ground. Here were facilities for "relieving" ourselves but I was separated from my sister. Next we were put on a train which took us to Biggleswade and then on a bus to our final destination - the village of Mepershall near Hitchin. At the village hall we were sat on one side while some locals on the other made their selections. Those that were left were then taken to various houses for billeting. I was taken to a thatched cottage and left with a Mr and Mrs King who had one daughter, one son having been killed at Gallipoli during the first war.At the village hall we were given a goodies bag which was taken from me together with my case in which I had some clothing and other personal articles articles. Some correspondence with my parents took place, presumably they were given some form of letter for this purpose. Letters to and from them and myself followed but as yet I could not read joined up writing.
The local school consisted of two or three classes and was run by the Church of England. As we were all Jewish it was not acceptable that we attended it and so, as we had a couple of the school teachers with, school classes were held in a field - fortunately weather was fine all the time. My hosts had some relatives in the nearby village of Shillington and we went there the following Sunday morning (September 3rd) after they had come home from church. On the way back we were told by the lady from next door (one of the few who had a wireless set) that war had been declared. After a few weeks my parents came to see me and told me the news about the other members of the family - the sister who was supposed to look after me had landed up in nearby Stotfold and being very homesick was taken back home after about a week. Meanwhile both my brothers who were at the Davenant Foundatiion School were at Chatteris in Cambridgeshire. After some nine weeks in Mepershall and there being no warlike activity in the capital I was taken home, spending my seventh birthday and indeed most of the war there.

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