´óÏó´«Ã½

Mr Ray Caradeuc interviewed by Margaret Le Cras

Transcribers note : Transcription difficult at times because interviewer was nearer the microphone and her interjections sometimes upstage Mr Le Caradeuc, who is rather faint. Where the interviewer’s comments are relevant they have been transcribed in full.

I…… So, Liberation day itself, what happened? What did you do?
Ray Caradeuc. Well, my parents didn’t do much because unless you could go the day, horse bus…
I………. It would have been difficult for them to get into town. And what about you, what did you do?
Ray Caradeuc. I went with my bike, and my brother, and the neighbours, two brothers, next door to us, we all went together, we were there all day, till midnight, and the troops were [ ]
I………. Oh my goodness. Oh yes, they were throwing things, weren’t they
Ray Caradeuc. And do you know, we never had a thing ! It’s funny, that.
I………. It was a good day, and it was time the war ended, eh, yes.
Ray Caradeuc. For both of us. [ ] were getting low. [ ] we weren’t getting our rations at Mrs le Pelley, [ ] bread, potatoes and wheat , mixed. It was round like a football. I put mine on the table, and it rolled off

I………. So after the war did you go back to the Grutais?
Ray Caradeuc. In time. It was twelve months
I………. Oh, twelve months later
Ray Caradeuc. If not longer, It was in a mess, there were fifteen of them in there. They had bunks. Good grief. Ah yes.
I…… But that area still has not changed much, eh, apart from David and Gillie’s bungalows, there’s nothing else round there, eh?
Ray Caradeuc. No, it was very lonely when we were young. I went to the Vauxbelets College, not because my people could afford it, because you were catholics, and the Vaubelets, all catholic services, wouldn’t allow catholics to go to a protestant school. So I went [ ] we were lucky, [ long faint mumble ]
I………. At the Vaubelets.
Ray Caradeuc. You were at the Chaumiere, with the Nuns. [ ] I didn’t like it. So we went to the Vauxbelets. Quite a good school
I………. Ah yes. It was a good school
Ray Caradeuc. We used to have lovely sports.
I………. And were you good at sport?
Ray Caradeuc. Yes, I did everything, cross-country, whatever there is in sport, I was there. And football.

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