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In May 1941, the families of Bootle suffered after heavy bombing raids, night after night it continued. After one particular raid, we climbed out of the Anderson Shelter the following morning to hear loud speakers, from a mobile vehicle, appealing to parents to have their children evacuated. My Mother and Father decided that my younger brother and I should take advantage of the appeal. My elder sister and brother were working and my youngest sister was only four years of age.

Following the Appeal Instructions, our mother took my youngest brother Eric, who was seven and myself aged 10 year, to the Assembly Point at Orrell Primary School, Linacre Lane, Bootle.

When we arrived there were approximately 200 — 300 children, and buses, lined up for the various destinations. Schoolteachers were forming groups in alphabetical sequence.

My brother and I kissed our mother goodbye and stepped onto the bus and we were taken to Ford Railway Station, Bootle (which does not exist now). We stood on the platform with our Gas Masks on our shoulders, and what belongings we had in bags. With tears in our eyes, we were instructed to board the waiting railway carriages. When settled we realised some school friends, and in fact neighbours — Billy Steele and Lily Steele, who only lived two houses away from us - were onboard. They were aged 12 and 10 respectively.

We departed eventually at approximately 1pm. Most of us had never been on a train ride before and it was nice to see the fields, the countryside, and animals grazing. When we reached our destination, Abergavenny in Monmouthshire, it was dark. We were met on the platform by W.V.S. who were giving out hot drinks and scones. The train journey had taken about 7 hours, and we had had no food or drink during this time. We boarded various coaches; we were in a coach with about 40 children. We ended our journey in a small village called Longtown, 20 miles from Hereford. We were assembled in a Church Hall by about 10pm, with farmers and their wives deciding who they wanted to give a home to.

The Vicar arranged for my brother and I to stay with Mr & Mrs Smith of Trilockdee Farm. Both my brother and myself could not sleep that night listening to what we thought was cats crying. The next day we were told that is wasn’t cats but rats in the barn adjacent to the house!!

We attended the local school the next day. The local garage provided transport to the school if you were over 3 miles from the village, we qualified for the lift. The village children did not appear to like the evacuees and we felt uncomfortable, but soon settled.

Sunday was Church; this was not an option. 150 congregation and the church was full.

My brother and I stayed on the farm for 7 months. My mother and father wanted us home for Christmas 1941 to be with our other brother and sisters. Mr Smith took us to Hereford Station a couple of days before Christmas Day.

During our Christmas dinner, when we were all around the table, my father said ‘We are not letting you go back, we miss you so much’. We felt so happy to be all-together again.

My brother and I have both happy and sad treasured memories of being Bootle Evacuees.

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