大象传媒

Hugh Johnstone of Dalmellington recalls life in Dalmellington during the war.
In 1940 the government requisitioned all the halls in the village. The halls were the scout hall, band hall and the old picture house. The Eglinton Hall was used as kitchen and dining hall for the army. The soldiers slept in the various halls and the NCOs etc. stayed at Bellsbank House and at Camlarg House. The soldiers trained among the high hills around Dalmellington. The Bogton Loch was used for amphibious training.
The local men formed a Home Guard and used the old Police Station in Ayr Road as a headquarters. The day shift men would meet for training on Tuesdays 6-8pm, Thursdays 6-8 pm and Sundays 4-6pm. The night shift and back shift men met Tuesdays 10-12 noon and Thursdays 10-12 noon and on Sundays with day shift men - so the whole unit trained together on Sundays.
The Dalmellington Silver Band was depleted at the time as some of the men were taken for the forces. The Blackout meant that people had to use Black Blinds only (by government order) to extinguish any light showing from houses. Public Buildings like schools, offices etc. had their windows glued with splinter netting made in Darvel, Ayrshire. The splinter netting prevented the glass from the windows from completely shattering if a bomb dropped.
Transport to the village was a wooden seated bus every two hours and the fare went up on a Saturday to discourage people from leaving the village. There was no Sunday service.
In March 1941 a train with over 100 children arrived as evacuees. The teachers were recalled from holiday to help to house the children with families in the village. The organiser was Mrs Joss the wife of the village police sergeant. People got 8/6 per week to house the children.

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