大象传媒

I was six years old when the war broke out, and had been at School for just one year. I remember having to carry the square box around with me containing the gas mask. Before we were evacuated from Lee, in South-east London, we had to take sandwiches to School every day, in case we were sent away on that day, it must have been terrible for my parents, as they didn't know when and where we would be going. All I can remembertaking with me was the supply of sandwiches, and a blanket, which we dubbed the "Wiltshire blanket" as someone had said that was where we were headed. Then, the day arrived and we all went from the School to Hither Green station and caught the train, arriving some time later in Ashford, Kent. We were then put on buses and finally came to our destination, which was the picturesque village of Chilham. I was billeted with two older girls in a small cottage on the square, the lady's name was Mrs Gower,the cottage had a front room, a kitchen on the ground floor and 2 bedrooms upstairs. The three of us had to share a double bed!, but I can remember being very happy there.
We had to share the local School with the village children, each had the School for half of the day, alternate mornings and afternoons.
2 nuns went with us from St Winefrides, I can't remember there being any other teachers. My parents managed to have enough petrol to drive down from London to see me, and I can remember
black paper covering the front of the headlights, with a small square hole cut in the middle, how on earth did they see where they were going? As well as there being no street lights, all the signposts had been removed or blacked out.
On Sundays a van came round and sold shellfish - I hated them! we had to have them for Sunday tea every week! I don't remember how long I was there, but by Xmas 1940 I had been taken to Cowley, Oxford, where my Brothers boarding School had moved to. My Mother always said after the War that if the Country had been invaded, they would have reached Chilham first!
We also ended up in Bournemouth,before returning to London just in time for the Dreaded Doodlebugs.

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