大象传媒

The Year 1939
The war started when I was a child of 9. We lived in Plumstead in south east London.Quite a few of the adults in my area worked at the Woolwich Arsenal, which was a huge ammuniition factory with a historical background.
My parents thought it would be best for me to be evacuated with the school. Of course I thought'oh yes, a holiday'. So I was looking forward to it all.
When the big day arrived I remember standing on the platform on Plumstead station at about 8 a.m.with about a 100 other children, the youngest of which was about 6 years old. I was holding one small suitcase and a haversack; this was all we were allowed to have. We of course all had a gas mask with a label attached with our name and school written on it. I think there were only 2 school groups at the station that day.
We boarded the train eventually, it became packed solid. There was no corridor on the train and our compartment was competely jammed.Once on the train we were given a pound bar of chocolate each.But during the whole journey we did not have a drink. Noone was told where we were going, incuding our parents and teachers. Just the train driver! It was all very hush hush.
Our parents were not allowed on the station platform and I recall my mother looking at us over the fence with all the other mothers. Most were crying, and so were we. The blinds on the carriages were all drawn and I know we were all very nervous.
One and a half hours later we pulled into a station: Tunbridge Wells, Kent.From there we were taken to Pembury,a small village. Next we were taken to the local school where we all waited. A steady stream of adults arrived, they chose the children they wanted and off they went.I was amongst the last 6 girls to be chosen. At last we were chosen! By now it was about 8p.m.
Four of us girls were taken to a large farmhouse and made very welcome by Mr and Mrs Sturgeon. Mrs Sturgeon had lost a baby girl the year before but she also had another little girl. So now she had five girls to look after! We all got on very well.My main job was taking the dog out. I stayed there a year and half and apart from a touch of homesickness, we experienced a new kind of life.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.