大象传媒

Where should I begin as I have many memories of the war. It all began for me, just before the start of the war. I was 11 years old in 1939 and my father had just passed away. He worked in Fleet Street but we had moved to Surrey so of course after he died we moved back to London. About 3 months later, I was evacuated as were all school children in London. We left Victoria train station a few days before war was declared, complete with gas mask and label on our coats. When we arrived at our destination we were taken to the village hall where we were picked to go to different families. I found out I was in a small village called Sompting, Nr. Lancing, Sussex. My two cousins who were with me went on to Worthing. My mother had given me a S.A.E. so that I could let her know where I was. Then she rented a house and my two cousins moved from Worthing to live with us so we could all be together.
I stayed in Sussex till I was 15 years old but afraid we had to move as the Germans used to drop any bombs left from the London rain on us before they went across the sea. So we moved to the Midlands (another story). I have lived here ever since. When I was 17 years old I used to sing with a dance band at the Loughboro' Town Hall in the Euenice and Woriley at the Zenobia Perfume Factory, during the day and also at the Empire Picture House.

'This story was submitted to the People's War site by Sara-Jane Higginbottom of the CSV Action Desk Leicester on behalf of Patricia Barnes and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

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