大象传媒

My Dad, being a farmer, was unable to take holidays during war time - but he especially took my mother - sister and myself for a week's holiday in Weymouth where we stayed in Park Street. During that week we were aware of a lot of military presence - and on going to the beach front we were able to watch many D.U.K.W.s (amphibous vehicles) practising landing on Weymouth beach. There were also lots of men milling around. I was born in 1936, and I was about 8 at the time - I wonder today if this was the rehearsal for the D Day landings.

Although I'm not sure if this was the same year or not, I can also remember a troop train coming in to the Harbour Station at Weymouth. There were also some American soldiers coming through the town, and the ones in the streets were just throwing money down. I can hear the noise of them, of their boots and of the coins dropping - and Dad saying "No, don't pick it up". I can remember being in tears - I asked him: "Why not, Daddy?!" I can't recall his reasons.

I can also remember, at Hayling Island, all the barbed wire defences on the beach. Dad took us down on Sundays, and there were the odd places where the barbed wire had been pulled apart - and we were able to swim in the sea.

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