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I left Gravesend in Kent in 1940 as an evacuee and went to live on a farm in Suffolk at a place called Ship Meadow.

Mum used to come and visit occasionally but life back home in Gravesend was really hard, she had my brother Peter and my sister Joan to look after, she would be queuing for food from 6 in the morning — a completely different life to the one I was enjoying on the farm!

When Mum came to visit I was allowed to take the pony trap to meet her from the train. The trap was an old governesses trap with a little door at the back and delicate shafts. I was quite good horsemen by then as I worked with the horses on the farm. I would spend the time polishing the little pony’s hooves with blackening, making it all neat and clean.

I would get out the cart and drive the 3 miles over 3 big hills from Ship Meadows to Becles station. I would excitedly wait for the train to come. Mother was of ‘generous proportions’ not fat but there was plenty of her! I took her out to the trap with a flourish opened the door and waved her into the trap, she put her foot on the middle step, the shafts went up and the little pony left the ground! I ran round the front and held the shafts down and put her carefully over the wheels to balance the weight! Great hilarity but the pony was a gently creature and all was well as we set off.

Then we had to tackle the hills, every time we went up a hill I had to tell her to go forward a bit and then come back when we went down the hill. Eventually we arrived back at the farm safe and sound - it had been a really enjoyable journey home!

This story was submitted to the People’s War website by Diana Wilkinson of the CSV Action Desk at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Hereford and Worcester and has been added to the site with Mr John Meiklejohn’s permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions

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