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This story was entered onto the peoples war web site by John Warner on behalf of Peggy X who fully understands and accepts the sites terms and conditions.

Peggy X born 14.02.1907

The Home Guard came to the house in Norwich and said we were to move out of the house, temporarily, as it was too near the coast and susceptible to invasion. I put a pin into the map and chose Hereford, which I felt was far enough away from the sea. My husband decided, although he had a reserved occupation, and since he was only 32, and younger men were joining the Army, that he would join also. His name was Cecil, but he chose to be called Bill.

I went by train to Peterchurch, Hereford, and was picked up by taxi. He took me to a hotel to book me in but they couldn’t put me up as it was full of soldiers from Dunkirk. The Taxi driver took John, my son, and myself to his home and the next day he took me to Peterchurch to the greengrocers’ for fruit for John. He kindly took me with him about 12 miles to the market where he got his fruit. The man who owned the stall asked if he and his wife could have us to stay with him. His wife was quite pleased about this, as she preferred to have one woman with a small child, thus excusing her from having evacuees.

We were well looked after as they had servants to do the work. After a while I felt I should be doing some work. I met a farmers’ wife who was shopping in the store; she said that she could put John and I up and I was able to do some work. She warned me she didn’t have any electricity. I ran the dairy, made butter, and really enjoyed doing this job. One night the church bells rang; they only rang when there was an invasion. This was the only time I felt petrified. The sitting room had an outside wall and the dog used to rub his collar along, which knocked against the wall. He did this when the bells rang and I thought it was a German. When I told the farmer and his wife they roared with laughter and said the dog had always done this.

My husband came to see us and said he was being posted to North Africa and there was a raid to be made on all cathedral cities. I decided I would like another baby to be company for John; Robert was born on 28.05.1942 I had a private room in the hospital but they asked me to move as the Bishops wife was also having a baby. They wanted the room for her. My husband was able to see our new baby, Robert. John was downstairs eating an ice cream and waving to me. Our home was lost, it was bombed in the night, so there was no pram or goods for me. When I went to the farm Bill went off to Cairo. One thousand personnel on one ship and all the equipment on another one; the equipment boat was torpedoed so they didn’t have anything to set up with. They waited six months for new equipment. Maintenance duties were carried out at this stage.

Back on the farm the farmers’ wife looked after John. Mrs Philips had no bathroom, no electricity, but she was a wonderful woman. We used to take the batteries for the wireless once a week on Thursday to get them charged. The ‘bus company was furious as the acid burnt the seats. We had lunch at Hay-on-Wye. John, my son, started at the village school. I met a lady who had a baby at the same time as myself. She offered me her flat, so I moved in, a lovely flat, too good for me with two small boys. Then I went to a bungalow at Dorstone, three miles away. It was let furnished. It had a huge range you had to light to get a cup of tea. John learned to ride a bicycle and promptly went back to the farm.

A knock on the window one night and it was my husband Bill. Mrs Philips baby-sat while I went to see Bill. When I got to the hotel there was no staff and no heat, and a snowstorm, so I didn’t travel away again. Bill was posted to Larkhill, Salisbury Plain, and then he had a batman, and when I ‘phoned up one Saturday, he said he was just going to the barracks for the entertainment and the dance.

One day John and Robert climbed into the wardrobe and this fell over and the bedpost went into the wardrobe. They were stuck, and I just managed to open the door to let them out.

When the war ended I took a taxi to London with two children and a battered suitcase. We had £800 compensation for the house and furniture.

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