大象传媒

These are extracts from the memoirs of Ronald Dutt transcribed for the site, with his permission, by Judith Blaker of the Folkestone Heritage team. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

Extract taken from an article in the
South Wales Argus

Ronald Dutt:
鈥淚 was evacuated from Folkestone when I was just 6 and spent the war years with a group of children at Mayfield House in Usk. We had our school lessons there as well and were looked after by the superintendant.鈥� Ronald鈥檚 2 brothers were also evacuated but went to Abergavenny and didn鈥檛 see Ronald for the duration of the war
鈥淲e met up again when we all returned to Folkestone but it felt very strange as I鈥檇 only seen my mother once in this time. My older brother left the family home soon afterwards and we lost touch again until a few years ago when I traced him through the Salvation Army. After that reunion I felt it was the right time to retrace my childhood years in Usk鈥� the place which was such an important part of my childhood.鈥�

Returning to Usk Pt2

On the 21st June 2003 I travelled to Wales. I arrived in Newport in the afternoon and took a bus to Usk, where I was to stay for the week. On Sunday morning I went to the Priory Church of St Marys. The Vicar showed me round the church and pointed out the past priests on a board. I remembered who the priest was when I was an evacuee; it was Rev. Morgan Davies. I attended an invitation only service in the afternoon and had refreshments afterwards at the Session House, where I was interviewed by a local journalist and had my photograph taken.

On Tuesday I visited Mayfield. Chris Hayes, the Managing Director of the Cambrian Oil Company showed me round the building and presented me with some photographs of the building taken from the air. He also took me to Hygga House in Llanishen, the farmhouse where I was evacuated in the Second World War. The place had been refurbished and certainly had changed.

On Thursday my friend Billy Doyle took me to Monmouth. In the evening I went to the Buffalo Lodge named 鈥楾he Sir Herbert Kitchener Lodge no. 504鈥�. I asked the secretary for a memento of the lodge, and on Tuesday morning Janine from the Session House brought a plate with a crest on it, and a mug with the Session House on it to the place where I was staying.

On Friday 27th June I went to Raglan and met Councillor Marjorie Chilcott and her husband Leslie, who took me to lunch at the Ship Inn and later to their house, it was a very enjoyable day. The next day Billy Doyle took me to Newport to catch my coach and I returned to Folkestone.

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