大象传媒

Story added to the site by Jemma Bellingham on behalf of Anne Sherwen

I am now 86 years old and memories of the war 1939-1945 are still very clear to me, it was a very sad time and such a waste of young lives. They were anxious times and although so many years ago, should never be forgotten. I will never forget the Sunday morning of 3rd September 1939. There was no TV at that time, so the radio was on and Neville Chamberlain the Prime Minister came on, even now thinking about it makes me feel cold and sad, he said "We are now at war with Germany" a statement which changed all of our lives.

My husband was 26 years old at that time and a member of the Territorials so he had to report to an army base in Workington right away. On the Monday it was goodbye without knowing what was next. We had a small sone who was 2 1/2 years old and he already missed his daddy. On the Tuesday my husband then came back as they had no uniform to fit him, as he was quite tall. They had slept on a floor at the Drill Hall in Workington so already life had changed for him, having never slept on a bare floor before. We did get a respite while waiting for the army uniform but we also had many fears as to what lay ahead. Many tears were shed during that time but these had to be kept away from our baby son. Luckily my husband was at Workington for just over a year in Transport and he trained transport and dispatch drivers on motor bikes and now and again I was able to meet him. Life was never really normal again until October 1945 for my son, my husband and myself.

Everyone had to carry a gas mask in a cardborad box on a string that you kept on your shoulder. Luckily we never needed to use our gas masks, something we were thankful for. Rations came along such as 2oz of butter per person, and also rations on sugar and bacon etc. There were coupons for most things, even sweets. Then came Spam and dried eggs from the U.S.A., the dried eggs were awful! Food was very scarce and people were asked to dig for victory, which most people did. Banana's we never saw, sometimes we would hear rumours that the shop had butter so everyone would queue for 1/2lb of butter as a treat and a little extra for each family. There was furniture which was 'utility furniture' which was very plain and people had to have all of their iron railings etc sawn down and melted to be used for ammunitions. People were even asked to sell their gold, anything to help the war affort. We had to win this dreadful war and beat the 'Nazis' and 'careless talk costs lives', we were warned so often about that.

Evacuees began to arrive, very, very, sad little children with gas masks on their shoulders and their names tied to their coats. They were leaving the big towns on account of the bombing and leaving their families to go and stay in the country with strangers. These were anxious times for parents, most had already said goodbye to their husbands and now they were saying goodbye to their children. My friend went for one child and came home with three brothers. They were from Sunderland, twins ages 11 and just passed for Grammar School and the youngest, Norman was 5. Their father was in the Merchant Navy bringing food etc to our island and the eldest boy was in the army so I felt really sorry for that poor mum. She often came to visit her boys but sadly after the war and everyone was safely home, for some reason she took her own life. We will never know the anguish and the fear that poor wife and mother went through but that is war horrible and full of sadness, six whole years of which I will never forget.

After a while my husband was moved to Malton in East Yorkshire so I went with our son to see daddy. Getting off at Leeds Station is a sight I would rather have not seen and often wondered if my small son would have taken it in. Leeds Station was just full of soldiers on strechers. Some even had a German helmet on their strechers. They were waiting to be moved to hospitals and rest homes and it was awful to see. When I go to my friends home there was a message saying my husband had gone back to Workington but I still carry that sad memory of Leeds Station.

The next move for my husband was to Catterick so I left my small boy with my dear friend who had taken in the evacuees. My son Jim and little Norman from Sunderland were now great friends. I stayed for a few days in a small hotel in Piercebridge and my husband was able to join me for a few hours at night. I was very lonely and a bit scared being on my own and on one night I was awoken by the horrible sound of siren going off, which I thought was the first warning and I was just so afraid. I realised after a few hours that it was the 'all clear' siren that I had heard and not the first siren to take shelter. Life in wartime is like that you seemed to live on a knife-edge somehow.

The next move for my husbands 9th Border Regiment was to Ashington in Northumberland. We knew that they were going on embarkation leave but had no idea where they would be going, everything had to be kept from the enemy and it was an awful feeling not knowing when or where? We arranged some time together and stayed in a house in Ashington quite near the huts where they were billeted. My husband and I slept in a shelter bed that was made of iron and had an iron top for safety. I just cannot remember the name of the people we stayed with but everyone was so kind, they almost had to close the cookhouse as everyone was making meals for the troops. I got to know a lot of the men and darned some of their socks, they were a wonderful lot of men and it was so very sad so many men never returned. We owe them such a lot. One night the sirens went and the planes seemed very low but our planes were there in force. We all did what we ought not to have done which was watch from the window. Soon we saw a German plane shot down and we all screamed with joy, thats what war does to people. Someone's husband or sone was being maimed or killed and everyone was happy about that, so sad.

The 9th Battalion were in Northumberland just in case the Germans decided to invade from the coast. The night came when we knew this was it. All the men came out of their huts and marched with all their kits on their backs. Someone had dropped their kits and my husband helped him gather it once more onto his back and that was the last I saw of my man for 3 1/2 years. We heard they stayed on the railway platform all night but my next news was a letter from Durban saying he was fit and well and he had never seen such a sight as in Durban for fruit etc and also not to worry! The next letter was from S.E.A.C the 'South East Asia Command', the 14th forgotten army, all so busy fighting in the desert. It was such an anxious time knowing they were now fighting the Japanese. While we were praying for all the troops, the people at home, who were being bombed out of their homes were praying for peace. We had special National Prayers and Dedication Services and I still have a programme of a National Day of Prayer on the third snniversary of the outbreak of war issued under authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury and York.

Life had to go on and I still had a small son with his daddy now far away in Burma. I had 3 and 1/2 years anxiously waiting each day for the post and when it came it was always two or three letters, which were quite old, but at least it was some contact. I used to dread that my husband had been take prisoner as the Japenese were so cruel. Our son was almost 9 years old when his daddy returned home on October 20th 1945. We had got through and things hopefully would get back to normal. In 1947 we had a new baby, a brother for Jim called David. Two sons, one pre-war and one post war, with lots of anxious days, nights and years between them, but I had my lovely man back and a loving family after 6 years of war. 'Thanks be to God'

Now the peace, my husband enjoyed his reunions at Carlisle Castle meeting all his pals he had fought with in Burma, but not all as many never made it back home. Now in Carlisle Castle Museum there are many memorabilia of the Ninth Batallion Border Regiment and I hope many will go and see them all. I know there is a Japanese flag, my husbands black velvet cloth embroidered in silver 'The Taj Mahal in India 1943' and many other things. Mr Eastwood the Curator would be pleased to see you and please tell him you wish to see the memorabilia of the Ninth Batallion Border Regiment, or the Shining Ninth as they were called as they were always so smart and clean.

In Carlisle Cathedral the Border Regiment have a small chapel which needed a communion rail. The Ninth Border all gave a donation and we all went along to see the dedication of the new communion rail. I think only about three of those old brave soldiers are left now but we must not forget them ever.

When you go home
Tell them of us, and say
For your tomorrow
We gave our today

Kohima Epitaph

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