大象传媒

Alice Huxley lived on her parent's farm with her 4 brothers and one sister. Her eldest brother was signed up for the war and was away from home for 6 years on the front line.

Alice's father ran a very successful farm, the farm was famous for it's strawberries, in the Summer people would walk for miles, even from Chester to get some punnets for a special tea.

In the evenings Alice's father was in the A.R.P. Alice recalls a lady who lived down the road from the farm who spent much time at her farm, especially when the sirens went off. She used to dress chickens and one day, just before Xmas, the sirens went off, right in the middle of organising the chickens. The lady spared no time, and ran to the farm, and turned up at the doorstep holding a chicken in each hand!!!

Alice would go out in the evenings with her boyfriend, Jim. One night they went out on a push bike, it was pitch black. She remembers Jim asking her if they had got to the turning yet, she was sure she had until...the bike fell from beneath her and Alice fell flat into a ditch! She laughs about it now but can't forget all the scratches on her face and having to explain them! This was the start of a fantastic relationship for them both and Alice and Jim later became Mr and Mrs Huxley.
I asked Alice about the American soldiers, she was very content with Jim but can remember all the girls getting together and travelling up to see them. Some of the soldiers and prisoners of war used to have tea at the farm on a Sunday evening. Then after a wonderful meal there would be someone on the piano and all would get together for a sing song. It didn't matter who they were of where they were from, everybody got on so well.

The soldiers would also use the father's field to spot planes with the search light. They would sometimes be very cold and hungry and one night asked her father if they were to see a rabbit could they please shoot it. Her father agreed and later sent Alice up to them with some carrots, onions and potatoe's.

Alice will never forget the day when the war ended her brother came home, there were many parties and happy faces, apart from the faces of the young girls who had to say goodbye to the American soliders.

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