大象传媒

This story was gathered, written and submitted to the 大象传媒 peoples war project by June Martin

4 EVACUATION
It was after the second air raid that I was evacuated to my grandmother鈥檚 seaside house at Ballywalter, on the Ards peninsula. My brother, easier to handle due to his more mature years, was already there. My mother鈥檚 sister travelled to work every day from Ballywalter to Belfast by bus and I was brought to the bus stop at the top of the Knock Road to be put on the evening bus she was returning on. My aunt was given no warning and no option. There I was with a parcel of clothes and a favourite toy all packed up in brown paper, like a waif. My mother refused to leave her husband alone in the city but was determined her children would survive, come what may. I was to stay there for the next 3 or 4 months, where I celebrated my 3rd birthday. Only years later did I realise that my future husband had been evacuated to his grandmother鈥檚 house, barely a mile away! However, at the end of that summer I returned home to Belfast

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