大象传媒

After all the peace talks between Germany and England had been exhausted, the threat of war loomed over us,but I was too young to understand,being only 9 years old at the time. All I can remember is that my Mother was up late making makeshift haversacks on a treadle sewing machine,without being aware of why.
What transpired was that the government of the day had put into action a mass movement of children from the cities into the country, out of harms way.As far as I was corncerned,I9was required to go to school as usual on the Friday morning September 1st.My two Brothers were also there,we formed an orderly line and proceeded to march to Walker station via Streets where women stood at their doors,and if we were bewildered so they must have been also. We were escorted by teachers and voluntary helpers, who were excellent at keeping us amused.We boarded the train and off we went. The train was certainly not in a hurry,and as none of us had ever been any further than the seaside it was quite an adventure. On reflection the journey lasted 3 hours, and part of the secruity measures meant all the place names were blacked out we could have been anywhere. Sometime in the late afternoon, we ground to a haltin a goods yard, which we later realised was Carlisle.We alighted from the train, and lined up for a brown paper bag, containing emergency rations; 1 tin of corned beef and biscuits I remember vividly. Then we were taken to a school to be boarded out. In my mind was the notion that my Mother had told my eldest Brother on no account had we to be seperated, Unfortunately that is exactly what happened my Brothers had been whisked off to Denton Holme, and there was me 9 years old and all alone It was me against the world as I thoughtwe were soon reunited however and all was well. We were taken by car to Grace St where upon knocking at no 5 Iwas welcomed with open arms. It was a verry happy experience for me, and Ispent 4 very informative years there.The schools were excellent because of the trauma of being away from home; therewas a kindred spirit amongst the evacuees which we had never had before. My Brothers were not as lucky as me , because the people who took them in were childless so it just did not work out Ihave retuned on various occasions to retrace my childhood steps and the ghosts of the past travel with me .Iwill never forget that stage in my life,the circumstances that seperated parents from their children should never be forgotten.Icant help but think that for all our innocence we conquered where others would have failed

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