大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People,s War site by a volunteer from The Chepstow Society on behalf of Maud Arnold, and has been added to the site with her permission. Maud Arnold fully understands the site termd and conditions

Maud Arnold Interviewer Margaret Kinsey.

Home Life.
Was 11 years old when war started and attended Chepstow Board School.
Parents kept 鈥淎rnold鈥檚鈥� - - a general grocery store; it also had a library section. Maud remembers helping in the shop during school holidays, specifically remembers scrubbing the floor, her mother was insistent on everything being clean. The shop would be open 鈥渁ll hours鈥�, with people often knocking her parents up during the very late evening / early morning if they wanted something. Was not aware of any food shortages, family had access through various members to allotments and small - holdings and had plenty of fresh eggs, butter and vegetables. Regarded mother as being a wonderful cook. Someone used to call selling shrimps.
Remembers blackouts on the windows and lack of lights outside, used to bump into each other.
Father was called up by the Admiralty and travelled to Newport every day by bus, where he worked in Bailey鈥檚 Shipyard and Maud believes he was involved in constructing the landing craft used during D - day.

School life.
Took gas masks to school, and all pupils were allotted a house / family in Bridge Street (near the school), where they were supposed to go in case of a bombing raid. Often used to wander through the market when there was one there on her way home from school. There were only women teachers at the school - - - Miss Parry was Headmistress, other teachers were Miss Cumper and Miss Flowers. There were some evacuees from Birmingham, tended not to mix much with the local children. Typical playground games would have been - - marbles for both boys and girls; skipping; throwing three balls against a wall and whip and top.

Work.
Maud left school when she was 14 in 1942, and started to work in 鈥淲alkers鈥� , the ironmongers and suppliers to farmers. The country folk would often come into Chepstow by horse and cart; seems to think that Walkers had a van/lorry that was used for deliveries.

Travel / communications.
Used the ferry occasionally, for a day or an afternoon 鈥渢ime off鈥�, otherwise train or bus.

Wartime Defences.
Father was a special constable in Chepstow; there was a guard on the bridge between Glos. and Mon. The guards used to challenge any one they did not recognise in case they were enemy agents. Was aware of the barrage ballons over the Bristol area.

War events
Can remember two bombs falling in the area, once when she was in the cinema, and the blast blew the doors open. Used to stand on Bulwark corner and watch Bristol being bombed - - though aware of the horrors, it used to be a spectacular sight during the night. Remembers the German and Italian prisoners being escorted through town and knew that they used to work on local farms.

The town.
There used to be fights down town between the various soldiers - often over local girls. British and American; white American against black American; regarded the Scots in their kilts as being the fiercest fighters - - These fights were often sorted out by the local Police who would take the soldiers back to barracks. Maud鈥檚 parents were very strict, so there was not much chance to fraternise, although she did go to dances at the Drill Hall and the Public Hall, where there would always be a band playing the dance music.

Involement of other family members.
Her 17 and a half year brother, Bert went into sevice with the airforce, became a despatch rider, and landed in Europe just 5 days after D - Day; saw service mainly in Belgium. Another brother was in the Eighth Army and two uncles who had emigrated to Canada came back and joined the army. A brother who was in the Navy, died when his ship was torpedoed.

Available artifacts that could be copied/photographed.
Plaque presented to family after death of Robert Arnold at sea.
Photographs of Arnold鈥檚 shop.
May have others.

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