大象传媒

I was born in 1927 in Haarlem, 80 kms from Amsterdam. Haarlem was one of the first targets of the German invasion force in 1940, and I was 13 when Holland surrendered.
Within days German troops were marching through Haarlem and food suddenly became a luxury.
The Germas took away all our food and all our sources of food. Strict rationing was imposed and by 1944 we were all starving.

Once myself and my mother heard about an isolated farm that had food so we walked for four days to the farm. We slept in cowsheds and hid from German patrols. When we got there we got some food by bartering with clothes.
We were always hungry - myself my mother, three sisters and brother lived from day to day never daring to think about the future.
Then rumours began that the war was nearly over. In April 1945 came the first real sign - British and American planes dropped Red Cross food parcels all over Holland. After nearly four years we had real food.

By May the war in Europe had ended and the Germans had gone. Then came the British.
I remember them coming vividy.
I was 17 years old and one of the thousands who lined the streets of Haarlem, cheering. I did not know it, but my future husband was somewhere in the mass of khaki.
George had been part of the British expeditionary force which had been evacuated from Dunkird. He alays believed they would return and was very proud when they did.

A few days later I met George Turner. It was in a thunderstorm.
I was sheltering with my older sister, Sien under a porch. Two British soldiers came over to us, and one jumped in a puddle and soaked us both. That was George!

We began talking and I relaised i really liked him. I was so pleased when he said he would come to see me at my home.
But we knew he would soon be returning to England and i didnt want the relationship to end. So, i asked himto marry me. We were married in October 1945 in Haarlem Town Hall. The service was in English and Dutch.

George then returned to England and I followed in February 1946 to Plaistow in East London.
There was so much bomb damage in London it was hard to make a start. But it was just the same for everyone, so we just got on with it.

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