大象传媒

My first memory of the war was being taken to the underground station at the Oval in S.W. London. There we used to sleep on bunks on the platforms. Vague memories of the bombs dropping. There was also a very large shelter in the grounds of the block of flats we lived in, and we often went in there. There was always a strong smell of carbolic from the portable toilets.
Evantually my sister Dorothy and I were sent to Hilcot in Wiltshire. We had to stand in the village hall waiting for someone to take us into their home. We were the last to be taken as my mother wanted us to be together. After some time a lady, who was the wife of a doctor from Guys hospital, said she would take me if her housekeeper would take my sister. This was agreed and off we went. I was only about 3 years old and my sister was 5yrs. We weren't too far away from each other but I saw little of her. We attended the local school and soon made friends, among them other evacuees. I remember one was called Billy Woodcock and another boy was Neville. Those were very happy years for me. Our mother came to see us occassionally and stayed in the home of a family from the village. I made friends with the children from the familly. We had very little knowledge of the war although American troops often drove through the village in their tanks and threw sweets. Then there were the landgirls in the orchard of one of the farms. About 2 miles away, when we went for walks we would pass a row of cottages which were the homes of Italian prisoners of war. They seemed quite free to roam around. Guess they worked on the land? I grew to love the country-side and spent many happy hours roaming across the fields with my friends.
One day in early May 1944 my mother came down with a new baby. My sister Sue...what a lovely surprise. I don't remember the going home, but do remember arriving there. Dad had made me a dolls cot. Then there was a big bonfire lit in the entrance to the flats. I was only about 7yrs old. but these memories are still very clear. I was to find out later that one of my aunts lost a leg when a bomb dropped on a bus at Victoria. Apart from that I think our family were really fortunate as we didn't lose anyone in those terrible times.

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