大象传媒

The first day of the War was on a Sunday, on Sundays I used to walk to Bill's Aunt's house and from there we would walk to church together. I would get there at 10.00 am, the service started at 11.00 am. When I got to Bill's Aunt on this Sunday, I was told that the service had been cancelled as everybody was waiting to hear Chamberlain's announcement.

After the declaration that we were at War the air-raid siren was sounded, Bill's relatives panicked and told me to go home. Home was a 10 minute walk away - but I didn't walk I ran. People who were were standing in the shop doorways kept grabbing at me to try and keep me safe but I just wanted to get home. The first thing I did on reaching home was faint! I came to cuddling my dog. Our Dad told my sister and I that we were going back to Ireland to stay with Granny.

The following day Dad took us (and my dog) to Euston Station, he had already bought our tickets. He was looking for a porter whom he could ask to ensure that we travelled safely. Though I was 14, I was very small for my age and Eileen was only 9. Dad still spoke with an Irish brogue and was overheard by a lady traveller. She asked if the "wee girls" were going home. When Dad told her we were going to his mother in Ireland; she asked Dad if he was willing to entrust his daughters to her. Dad said he would.

Dad started to open a 3rd Class compartment door BUT the lady was travelling first class and upgraded our tickets at her expense so we could travel with her. This was the first and last time I have ever travelled first class on a train. When we got to Heysham we transferred to the Ferry. The first thing she did when we embarked was to ask a steward "My dear man can you take this dog for a walk?". He did.

Whenever we travelled to Ireland I used to sleep in a lifeboat - my parents couldn't afford a cabin. When the lady heard what I was planning she was horrified telling me that there was a war on and that there were no lights. She booked a cabin for us, again it was a first. Travelling to Ireland with this lady was a series of firsts.

When we got to Belfast another first, we travelled from the Docks to the Station in a taxi. As a family we used to go in a horse-drawn carriage to the Station. When we reached the Station she asked where we lived, we lived in the north of Ireland in Londonderry, she lived in Eire. She insisted in travelling with us all the way to Londonderry Station where Granny was waiting for us. I told Granny that we owed the lady a great deal but the lady said, no, we owed her nothing. She had promised our father she would see that the wee girls got to their Granny safely and she had. She told Granny that we had been good girls.

I have always felt sad that I never knew the lady's name, but I have never forgotten her kindness to us. She couldn't have been kinder if she had been paid.

We were in Londonderry for about 9 months, the time it took for me to earn the money for our tickets back to England. Young as I was I was missing Bill and my parents plus the air-raids hadn't started. I worked in a factory, that made shirts for the Forces, cutting thread. When I had saved enough money I went to Londonderry Railway Station to buy 2 tickets. I only told Granny the day before we were to travel, she was horrified. She travelled with us to Belfast to see us safely on board the boat.

Whilst we were crossing the Irish Sea there was mighty bang - we wondered if we had been attacked by a submarine - we hadn't, one of the engines had blown up!

Granny had sent a telegram to Dad to let him know we were on our way home. My parents stood at Euston Station waiting and worrying, we were 4 to 5 hours late, they became so worried that when at last we arrived they forgot to grumble at me!

More stories from Beryl can be found at:

* A8594238 "The Unknown Warriors" (Working in Wartime London)

* A8629392 "The End of the War" (Tea at the "Waldorf")

Story: This story has been submitted by Muriel Palmer (volunteer) Age Concern Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on behalf of BD BERRY (author) and has been added to the the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

see more of Beryl Berry's stories and photographs:

• "THE UNKNOWN WARRIORS" (Working in Wartime London)
• "THE END OF THE WAR" (Tea at the "Waldorf")

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