大象传媒

At the outbreak of war in 1939 we were residents of France, living in Normandy at Canapville par Touques near Deauville.
It was our intention to remain there. After the fall of Dunkirk in 1940 conditions began to get serious. Our house well above sea level enabled us to watch the bombing of Le Havre, and we saw the town in flames. All around us was suddenly very quiet 鈥� most people had fled.
German planes were machine gunning us at roof level, to cause panic. It was then that my husband decided we must leave.
He shot the dogs 鈥� as we could not take them with us, then loaded the car with what luggage we could, also food and cans of petrol which he had saved. On June14th we left 鈥� taking the road to Caen 鈥� hoping to get to Spain, as the ports had fallen to the Germans.
Our son who was with us was just 14. Conditions on the roads were terrible 鈥� it is impossible to describe the misery. Old people were being pushed in wheelbarrows and prams and carts, people and cattle were blocking the roads. We traveled as far as possible that day sleeping under trees at night. We were lucky to get across the bridges before the French soldiers blew them up, to try and delay the advancing Germans. We took the route to Portiers and Limoges and through the Pyrennes, and after several days of nightmare traveling arrived at Bayonne, where we were told the Spanish frontier was closed.
Food conditions were bad 鈥� but I was able to get some bread. At Bayonne we sat on the quayside, with hundreds of others 鈥� hoping a ship would come to take us away. Eventually a Dutch ship the Queen Emma arrived. She took many refugees. Just as it was our turn to go on board the officer said they could not take anymore as they were overloaded.
So we were left behind, and two more days passed. One evening we were told to go to the railway station 鈥� where a train was waiting. We were locked in under armed guard and told we were going to St Jean de Luz where a ship was waiting.
At midnight we arrived and were told to leave all hand luggage on the quay. Everywhere was in total darkness because of enemy planes. We were taken then in small Basque fishing boats out to sea; which happened to be very rough, to the then troopship 鈥淓ttrick鈥�. Owing to the darkness we had difficulty getting on board, as we were told to jump and sailors caught us onto small iron ladders, which we had to climb up with their help. The ship had an Indian crew. Officers and men were magnificent. Although well overloaded there was plenty of good food. King Zog of Albania and his family were on board and for this reason no doubt, we were escorted at sea by HMS Hood and the Arizona Star.
On board we were separated. My husband and son going to the 3rd or 4th deck. I was put on the 2nd class deck and given a berth- after a visit to the ships hospital to have cuts on my legs cleaned up. These were caused on the gangway when I was hauled aboard.
I eventually found my husband the next day and we decided to keep together in case we were torpedoed. So I went below and we all slept in one of the sitting rooms.
We had no idea where we were going and after five days at sea we found to our great joy we were in Plymouth sound. We had lost everything but we were safe. The town of Plymouth gave us a wonderful welcome, and we were eventually put on a train under armed guard still to Paddington arriving there on June 29th. After police interrogation we were free to join our family. After France was liberated the French Government allowed us to return and on December 8th 1945 we went back to a great welcome.

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