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This story was gathered, written and submitted to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ peoples war by Joan Henderson. The story was input to the ´óÏó´«Ã½ peoples war by Brian Morgan. The author fully understands all the terms and conditions

Their Stories as told to Joan henderson

Chrissie Hargan’s (nee Conaghan) Story

Chrissie lived in Omagh and as there was no other work available, in 1941 she joined the Land Army. She was given no choice of venue and was sent first of all to Sproule’s farm at Knockbrack outside Londonderry which is now 171 Ardmore Road. She stayed here for six months and was treated like one of the family - eating and sleeping together.

This farm reared a special breed of chickens as a special war effort and these were sold to feed those on other farms and other neighbours. Eggs were preserved in large crockery pots, using a gelatine like substance called isinglass and water, as a food store for bad times. Chrissie’s job was to feed chickens, clean hen houses, collect eggs and anything that was necessary to help keep the farm running.

Unfortunately Mr Sproule died and Chrissie was moved to the next farm along the road belonging to the Glendinning family.
This was a farm of pigs, cows, poultry and horses. The job here was to feed the animals, milk the cows and help with all the general looking after which was necessary. Again Chrissie lived as part of the family. The war was making things so difficult for the farmer in trying to get food supplies for the animals, cope with rationing and keep his farm running that he became tired of trying, so sold out and went to Canada.

The next farm was Buchanan’s of Lisglass. As well as cows, chickens, pigs and horses this was also an arable farm. As well as working with the animals as she had at Glendinnings, Chrissie worked in the fields dropping and later lifting potatoes and harrowed the land walking behind two horses. Buttermilk was made using a horse churn. The horse was harnessed to a long pole which was attached to the container of milk to make it turn and the horse then walked round and round for at least an hour before the butter came to the top.
The butter and buttermilk were taken to town by the Boss and sold. The buttermilk was six pence for one and a half gallons.

At all three farms Chrissie worked from 7.00am till everything was done for the day. That might have been 6.00pm or 10.00pm.

There was no recreation at all except going for walks up and down the road. This was how she met her husband to be, Charlie Hargan also going up and down the road but on his bicycle!

When they married later in Omagh, still in war time, 1943, they had to travel to Derry for their wedding breakfast by train as no taxi was allowed enough petrol to do the whole journey. The wedding breakfast was held in the Melville Hotel and provided by Mr Albert Sergeant who was a share holder there and knew Charlie through buying coal from Goshaden P.O. and General Store where Charlie worked.

Charlie Hargan’s Memories

Charlie remembers when my father, William Irwin, after having horse and cart and a Model T Ford, bought a new modern Morris Commercial. It caused quite a stir and Charlie was allowed to drive it. After only a couple of months the army arrived on the scene and gave one day’s notice for the lorry to be delivered to Eakin’s garage in Claudy, Co Lpndonderry. From there it was shipped to France where it was recognised by one of the local lads who was fighting there. Lorries were commandeered as there weren’t enough for the army’s needs.
After the war the army supplied a lorry which apparently delighted all concerned as it was much bigger and better than the others and had wheels as big as a tractor. It was taken to Hendersons of Killaloo, who were bodybuilders and who changed the body for that of an Austin.

Charlie became a frequent visitor to the American Airforce Camp at Beechill near Ardmore where 7000 troops were stationed. Willie McCourt, a local publican, worked in the bar of the Recreation Hall and Charlie often helped to wash and dry the glasses and bottles when things were really busy and earned himself a few shillings. The Americans were generous with cigarettes and anybody who received a pack of twenty felt they had been given a fortune. Films were sometimes shown on the base but only a selected few were allowed in. Guards were stationed all around to ensure safety.

The troops were constantly marched up and down the Ardmore Road and the shout from the leader, ‘ one, two, one, two’, could be heard far and wide. A ‘Paddy’ joke going around at the time went like this - Paddy the Irishman joined the army but didn’t know his right foot from his left foot so brown hay was put on one foot and yellow straw was tied on the other. The marching shout then was ‘hay foot, straw foot, hay foot, straw foot’!
When the Americans got to know the local people they came to visit and stayed for a cup of tea.
Local workers drove lorries and did the cleaning on the camp.

When the first barrage balloon went up, a man called Charlie Cowan called out to his friend, ‘My Christ Patsy, come on out till you see the big elephant in the sky!’ This caused a lot of concern as, living so far out in the country, nothing was known about these.

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