大象传媒

When I was't even a twinkle in my father's eye, my two brothers, Edward and Roy, were evacuated to Bedfordshire in the year 1943. I was born in March, 1944, so have little memory of the war. I did however, benefit from my brothers experiences, and had the opportunity of taking holidays with my parents with the families who cared for my brothers during their evacuation period. My most vivid memory of one of the families, is that they were Farmers who occupied a small but comfortable farm house without the benefit of gas or electricity. Without a doubt, the smell of a parafin stove (not that I smell that often these days), evokes the picture of the dark but not unfriendly stair case up to the first level of the house' At the foot of those same stairs stood a very large grandfather clock, the sound of which echoed throughout the house and was a comforting reminder of security and safety. Perhaps that is why, even today, I enjoy the sound of a ticking clock in the bedroom (something which drives my husband mad!!).
During my first year, the closest I was to the effects of the war that I can remember, is the explosion of a large Munitions ship just outside of Newhaven Harbour. I am told that I was in fact lucky to survive this, as after the explosion, my mother found me lying in my cot, covered in large shards of glass from the window of the bedroom. Other people who lived in Newhaven were not so lucky, some suffering from injuries and I believe loss of life.
I am now living with my husband in France, and am often reminded of the sacrifices that were made in the War, for my generation by the large number of War Graves that are maintained to such a high standard here. Seeing the picture of my brothers, who were about to be evacuated to places unknown to them also reminds me that it was not only the Adults who made sacrifices for us, but the children of the time who were often evacuated, never knowing when they were going to return home to their parents. Fortunately, I am assured that my brothers'experiences were positive, but I know that other children were not so fortunate, and some have been scarred from the experience for the remainder of their lives.
This continues to pose a question to me - what would have happened to me, and my generation if we had not defeated the Germans in that conflict. I doubt very much for instance, if my husband and I would be living here in France, having such a wonderful retirement. The full answer, of course, does not bare really thinking about.

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