大象传媒

In 1939 my grandparents were farmers in the little village of Calthwaite, in Cumbria. During the next 6 years the war had quite an impact on farming and the role of the village.
Almost immediately, my grandmother was asked to provide accomodation to two british soldiers who were acting as guards at the nearby Merrythought German/Italian prisoner of war camp. These soldiers were called Private Wittham and Sergeant Banks. They ended up staying a whole year in the farm house before moving out in order to make room for an evacuee from Buttercoats, Whitley Bay. He was called George Knights, and was a quiet little boy who had just started school. His parents and grandma visited him frequently.
German and Italian prisoners from Merrythought began working on the farms, including my grandma's. One German was called Erweld Klem. One Christmas he made a number of Christmas decorations out of tin cans and gave them to my grandma as a present.
My Grandad was in the homeguard in the village as well as working full time on the farm. Calthwaite Hall was made into a convalesent home for the Royal Air Force. There were many soldiers around the village as a result. They often visited the farm for afternoon tea.
My grandma said that they were sad times but communities came together and made contributions which thankfully ended in peace. I remember very well one story that my grandma told me. It was about how the war led to nothing being wasted on the farm. One day my grandparents had to butcher a pig on the farm and she said that there was a use for every single piece. She said that even the trotters were used for glue. Funniest of all though was that the stomach was blown up and used by the village boys as a football!

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