大象传媒

This story has been submitted to the People's War website by a volunteer from the CSV on behalf of J. Hill and has been added to the site with their permission. J. Hill fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

On the morning of the 1st September 1939 we were taken to our school in Dagenham and from there my sister and I were transported to the Ford Works Quay and put on a boat. I remember it had been raining. There were puddles in the road. My sister was 6 and I was 8. A lady asked if we would like barley sugar to prevent sea sickness.

And so we went by sea to Lowestoft. Here we went to a school where we slept on straw. Our meal was red Leicester cheese, bread and milk, and the same for breakfast. The teachers arranged for us all to have fish and chips in a restaurant, which we enjoyed. Then another night on the straw.

Next morning coaches came to take us to our village where we would be billeted at Tivetshall St Mary in Norfolk. One girl who was always very neat asked Miss to tie her hair ribbon. Miss was shocked at what she saw, the girl had nits, very shameful in those days. A quick inspected showed we all had them.

We were lucky as my sister and I were bulleted with a farm family who were very kind and after the homesickness went we thrived on the good food and fresh air. We were there for 9 months.

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