- Contributed by听
- searcherjohnedwards
- People in story:听
- Edward Lang
- Location of story:听
- Willesden and Caerau, South Wales
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A8796072
- Contributed on:听
- 24 January 2006
When I heard Chamberlain鈥檚 broadcast on Sunday September 3rd 1939 I was standing outside our house in Willesden, London. My parents did have a Wireless, or Radio as they are called today, but it could only be used sparingly because it was powered by an accumulator (battery) and power was running low.
A fully charged accumulators would cost 6d per week to hire from a nearby shop so my parents did not want to waste power listening to a false alarm.
Fortunately, our next door neighbours realised that the broadcast might be very important. They had a Wireless operated from the mains which was placed on the window sill with the volume up and that is how I found out that we were at War with Germany.
Along with my sister, I was evacuated to Caerau in South Wales. My mother stayed behind to look after my baby brother. One Monday morning we were taken along with my classmates to Acton Town Station and put on a train. We arrived at our destination late in the afternoon where we split into two groups. One group was taken to a Library and the other to a Community Hall where we given a drink and a sandwich. Having been fed we were then split into small groups of two or three before being taken round the streets to find accommodation. As far as I remember the request was: 鈥淐an you take two children ?鈥
Eventually a place was found for myself and another lad. I had been hoping to stay with my sister but we were separated earlier on.. We were taken in by a Mr Evans who was the local Headmaster. He had been a Headmaster before the War and had retired in July 1939 but his replacement had been called up so he returned to his old job.
Mr Evans seemed to know everybody in the village and the surrounding area.. This included Managers of the local Collieries. Maybe this explains why he never seemed never short of food and even managed to run a car
One afternoon were taken to Maesteg where I remember that the manager of Maypole rushed out to see us. Following the social conventions of the time men and women used to step off the pavement when we approached.
In 1941 I returned to attend Willesden Grammar School. Looking back I enjoyed the War. One could go out in the evening without fear of mugging.
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