大象传媒

I was evacuated from Liverpool Street Station, London on 1st September 1939 with Buxton Street School to Newmarket, Suffolk. I was 9 years old and very excited at the thought of going to the country! The whole school marched to the station in a crocodile. Although some of the children had suitcases, many carried their belongings in pillow cases. We'd practised what we would do for weeks beforehand. Parents were asked to keep away, but some defied the authorities and watched and waved from behind the railings. Each child had a label around their neck; the railway carriages were pretty packed, with an adult in each. Each of us was allowed a turn by the window. It seemed to take hours to get to Newmarket. When we arrived there, we were each given a carrier bag containing food and chocolate. We were then marched to a local school, where we were given refreshments. After that we walked around Newmarket and people came out of their houses and made their choice! Eventually, by the time we'd got to the outskirts of the village of Exning, there were three of us left - two girls and a boy. We turned into a road and the girl I was with (Sybil) was chosen by someone from the forst house on the left. I was chosen next by a lady from Northumberland who said: "I'll have that bairn there!" A little further along, the boy was taken in.
Having a nine year old to look after was a bit of a shock for the fairly elderly couple who took me in - my own parents were young by comparison. I was very fortunate, though, because they looked after me well and made my parents very welcome. I kept in touch with them until they died and took my eldest son to see them.
I remember us entertaining some of the local airmen who were injured and brought into the local hospital. There was also a POW camp on the outskirts of Newmarket and we went out to entertain them as well - outside the wire!
As it happened, Newmarket was bombed before London.

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