大象传媒

Market Drayton had an influx of evacuees from Salford in Manchester in 1941/2 who settled temporarily in the Little Drayton area. They arrived by rail, each armed with their relative gas masks, and were billeted at various addresses, mainly to volunteers willing to take them. Some of the officials of the town were not too pleased with the escapades of the evacuees.
One of them (a 10-12 year old boy) climbed up an 11,000-volt pilon at The Quarry and unfortunately came down in flames - was certified dead.
To redress the balance there was an influx of high school girls from Manchester, which were very welcome as most of the girls in town were going out with the local airmen.
Market Drayton was very affected by the arrival of the evacuees, as well as the presence of servicemen based at Tern Hill.
The high school girls would teach the local young people to dance, arrange bike rides around the area - so life at this time was anything but dull for the local lads and girls! Correspondence followed when the local men were called up, and this proved to be a lifeline.
Sam Plim - Market Drayton born and bred - became friendly with Doreen Sharples, whose family subsequently moved to the Isle of Wight, Doreen's father taking up a post at Camphill Prison. The trouble was, the strict treatment of his working role spread out into more personal relationships!
At every opportunity Sam would travel to the Isle of Wight to see Doreen - in fact, he spent his 21st birthday with Doreen rather than come home to Market Drayton, a decision which did not please his family! The relationship lasted some 3 years until circumstances changed and Sam needed to return to Market Drayton full-time. He took up a permanent post with the National Fire Service.
Sometimes there would be concert parties, put on by the prisoners, one of the characters having been a Major in the Army. He had come home at one point and found his wife in bed with another man - he shot them both, hence serving time in the Prison!
When Sam was about to go out to the Far East, he had no pass to call at the Isle of Wight first - but, due to fog which would delay the ship sailing, he took a chance and travelled to Camphill, in uniform, to see Doreen. They went to the cinema, the fog cleared, and Sam realised with some concern that the next ship would be sailing to Portsmouth at midnight, from where he needed to get to Kent to board the aircraft carrier in Kent - otherwise it would be a case of 'absence without leave'!

A letter sent to Sam from Market Drayton Senior School Old Scholars' Association while he was posted away in December 1943:
"We are sending you this small present (Sam can't remember what it was!) in order to assure you that our thoughts are always with you and that specially at this Festive Season our minds and hearts turn to you in all you are doing for our country and civilisation in general.
"We miss you very much and are anxiously and impatiently awaiting the day when, the Battle won, you will return home to your loved ones and your Club. Our wish for you is that you may have as Happy a Christmas as possible under the circumstances, and that 1944 will see the fighting over and your safe and speedy return assured."
(signed by 3 friends and members)
Sam was in Italy, 4 miles behind the Hun lines, in May 1945 not long before the war finished.

A Stoke on Trent story!
Ken Adams, a 45 Commando veteran from Stoke on Trent, told Sam the story about the couple who took in a lodger. Coming home one day the husband came home to see his wife on the settee with the lodger. Rather perturbed with the situation, he went outside to decide how to deal with the matter. On returning, his wife was still on the settee with the lodger. Enquiring as to what happened, Ken was told they had decided to sell the settee!

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Carole Corney of the 大象传媒 Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Sam Plim and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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