大象传媒

I was only 4 1/4 yrs old when the war started.
I had an uncle who was in an engineering firm in the Midlands. My Mother and I lived in Hildenborough up Coldharbour Lane. Uncle said if the invasion came, the road would be closed to civilian traffic, so we moved 1st to London and then to around relstives and house-lets in the Midlands sometime during 1939-1940. We were away for Christmas and heard the broadcast to the children of the UK given by the then Princess Elizabeth and Goodnight from Princess Margaret. When we got back home the gardener had managed to get the 9 Irish Nuns who had taken over our 4 bedroom house, out. The house behind was taken over by Newfoundland soldiers. The house had been left empty because the owners had gone off to Canada.
One morning Nanny said she wanted me to see the soldiers coming home. I cannot remember the exact date but it must have been our troops returning from Dunkirk. Later I learnt the trains brought the men from the coast. It's a sight I shall never ever forget. Solid lorry after lorry travelling towards Sevenoaks and London. Nose to tail, one could see the men but there was absolute SILENCE. We just stood and watched. Now of course one realizes the men were utterly exhausted.
Plenty of Air Raids - The night we returned from the Midlandsit was the worst Hildenborough had had. We just spent time in the cpboard under the stairs during raids. At some date, and indoor metal framed Morrison shelter came and took up the entire dining room.
One did get taken to see a Barrage Balloon tethered in a field nr Foxbush, Hildenborough. Towards the end of the war a lot of Italian prisoners of war were kept in a farm building at Trench Farm up Cold Harbour Lane.Later German prisoners were held here as well.
From 1940 1943 I went to Hilden Oaks school by pony and trap and then on the local bus.
There was an ARW post in the Tonbridge School building which is now opposite Hanover House and possibly a Red Cross post. I had to be taken there one afternoon during an Air Raid, where there were a lot of beds all empty but made up.
Tonbridge had been fortified - tank traps - barbed wire and pill boxes. Some still around near the river in fields etc.
I was 10 years old when the war ended.
This story was submitted to the People's War site by Gillian Estall and has been added to the website on behalf of Nancy Ashwell who fully understands the site's terms and conditions

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