大象传媒

THE PEOPLE鈥橲 WAR

The first thing I knew about it, was being sent off with my school into the country side near York. I was only six years old when it all began. We were settled into Nunnington Hall, which now belongs to the National Trust. My only memory was of sitting on a swing, under a big oak tree, crying my eyes out.

My brother had been sent to Wales with his school. Once we had both gone, our parents began to make further plans for our safety. Some second cousins in USA offered to have us, all of them assuming that it would all be over in six months.

A passport was obtained with my brother鈥檚 picture in the main slot and my picture in the slot for 鈥榯he wife鈥�! He was 9 and I was 7. My mother brought a large red trunk down from the attic, and began to pack all the things she thought we would need to help us to feel at home in a strange land.

My mother had used the trunk many years before, on a cruise to South America on the ship 鈥楢rlanza鈥�. This was painted in bold letters on the lid of the trunk.

Our time of departure was, of course, very 鈥榟ush-hush鈥�. Finally the instructions came and we set off for Liverpool.

When the officials at the docks saw the trunk, they pulled us out of the line. 鈥淗ow did you know that your children were sailing on the Arlanza? Who told you? You must be spies!鈥�

My parents were dumbfounded. However, on closer inspections they could all see that the paint was old and cracked. It was a co-incidence. But it might have turned into a disaster for us, for had we missed that boat, we would have most probably have gone on the next one 鈥� and that was the HMS Benares, which was torpedoed, with the loss of the lives of many children and adults.

As a Christian, I can say that God had other plans for me, for I have had a full life and have had the privilege of working for some years with the suffering Christians in southern Sudan.

Mrs Jan King. (nee Murray Scott)

Would you like anything about the difficulties of settling back into England after 4 years in USA?

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