大象传媒

One evening in Portsmouth, at the beginning of the war, an offshore naval captain went home and told his family that it was possible the German Luftwaffe would see Portsmouth as a prime target for their bomber planes. He said they must find some safe place to spend the war: his wife, two daughters and three grandchildren:
One daughter was sent off to find tickets at the railway station. 鈥淭ry Pontysomething 鈥�, he said, not being sure of this strange Welsh name.
There were many 鈥淧ontysomethings鈥� in Wales. However, the booking clerk was helpful and suggested Pontypridd. It seemed a safe place, it was in a valley!
So tickets were booked for Pontypridd.
Next day they left: our group of four adults, two children and the eighteen month baby who was sickly. A friend went with them, but became homesick after a few months.
Crossing the border via the Severn Tunnel they entered a strange land, 鈥淒o they speak English?鈥� they wondered.
Passing the lovely green fields with an occasional glimpse of the sea they arrived at Cardiff. Here they should have changed to the Valley train. Some miles and two stations passed when they realised their mistake. Our group of travellers was advised by other passengers to get off at Neath and travel back to Cardiff. But they are tired, it has been a long journey and so they leave the station to find somewhere to eat, or at least a cup of tea. Refreshed, they return to the station, passing a bus queue on the way. They stop and ask some passengers if they know of a place they might stay. They tell their story and two people think they may be able to help. 鈥淐ome on the bus with us to visit someone we know who may help you鈥�, they say.
Twelve miles up a valley they meet Mrs Penney. She invites them in to have a meal with her husband and young son and to stay the night to see what the morning might bring. Our group of travellers settle in, coming to terms with a dialect unfamiliar to them, English? Yes but with a touch of Welsh! They stay. The children go to school, making friends quickly. The daughters find work, as does Mrs Penney, so Grandmother takes care of the home.
All are happy together. Sadness comes to them for this is war. The daughters鈥� husbands, one in the army, one in the navy, are both killed and the baby sickens and dies. Our group integrates into village, finding the villagers kind and helpful. So there are happy times too and at the end of the war home beckons. One daughter, mother of the two older children meets and falls in love with a village man. She stays to marry but Grandmother and younger daughter go home to readjust to life in Portsmouth once more.
English and Welsh have united very well. Although after getting to know the Penney family well, Mrs Penney did confide that they had thought that we might have 鈥渓ived in caves!鈥� Despite the war, good has come out of bad and we all understand each other better and have a lifelong friendship. I imagine that this friendship and understanding developed with other groups of refugees.

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