大象传媒

This story has been written onto the 大象传媒 People鈥檚 War site by Cornwall CSV Storygatherer, Martine Knight, on behalf of Lionel Thomas. His story was given to the Trebah WW2 Video Archive, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund in 2004. The Trebah Garden Trust understands the terms and conditions of the site.

I was born on Lonon Farm, Sithney in 1929.

Two or three days before D-Day a message went around that all farm activities had to stop. We wondered why, but next day could see the reason.
All the roads, for miles around, were jam-packed with military vehicles 鈥� nose to tail 鈥� big troop carriers, motorbikes and sidecars, Bren gun carriers 鈥� all sorts. There were thousands of troops 鈥� not just Americans, but the East Yorkshire regiment too. They were there for several days and all had to live and sleep in their vehicles.
As there was no collection of milk or eggs from the farm a lot of the soldiers came in with bottles to get milk and we鈥檇 give them eggs too. We鈥檇 soon smell the eggs frying as they tucked into them.
They gave us some petrol in exchange, which was very welcome, as it was so scarce. They used to use it to wash down their vehicles, which amazed us.
Some of the black Americans felt the cold, even in summer, and went around all wrapped up in coats.
One morning we came out and the roads were completely empty 鈥� they鈥檇 all gone. Unbelievable as we hadn鈥檛 heard anything during the night.

When the German Heinkel crashed into a field at my uncle鈥檚 farm (Gwavas Farm) none of the five crew were injured. The airmen walked to the farmyard where my auntie asked them if they were Dutch or French. When she realised they were German she was a bit frightened, especially as they all had revolvers. The farm-workers, who were all in the Home Guard, went and got their rifles, but the German Officer said, 鈥淣o need, no need鈥� and took the revolvers off his men.
There was no phone on the farm so someone had to take word to Lowertown to raise the alarm. It was about an hour and a half before the authorities arrived and, meanwhile, my granny gave the Germans tea and cake. This was later reported in the papers and she was criticised locally for it, but she said that she鈥檇 done what she鈥檇 like to think someone would do for her sons if they were in the same situation.
The plane was guarded for about three weeks before being dismantled and taken away. We used to go up and look at it and one day our farm dog went with us. He jumped inside and came out with a great big German sausage, which he quickly ate.
Years later the pilot returned a couple of times to visit my uncle.

We had an evacuee who, with his sister, got on the train at Nancegollan - trying to get back to Bristol. They got as far as Exeter, but because it wasn鈥檛 the first time they tried it they were allowed to go home.

On the 1st April 1941 we were at home at milking time when we heard planes and machine gun fire. One plane crashed at Dodson鈥檚 Gap, near the road to Gunwalloe. My cousin lived nearby and went to see what was what and found the pilot鈥檚 head in the lane. Someone stole a ring off the pilot鈥檚 body 鈥� hardly believable!

When I was about 13 I was in the school playing field when we heard a plane revving and faltering and saw it circling over Wheal Vor and Carleen. Suddenly it caught fire and dived towards Breage. It crashed at Pembro Farm gate and my grandfather happened to be nearby at Breage Churchyard. He ran to the crash site and tried to save the pilot 鈥� who he could hear screaming inside 鈥� but couldn鈥檛 get him out. Then the plane exploded.

VIDEO DETAILS 鈥� HELSTON (PART 2) 09:16:01 鈥� 09:44:12
Also CWS110804 15:11:32 to 15:31:25

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