大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Jane Cave for Three Counties Action on behalf of Verity Stevens and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

It was in early Autumn l944 when the V2 rockets began and my mother said if you are frightened, I was 8 at the time, you can stay with your godmother, Aunty Suzie at Bonnie Rig Road, Dalkeith, just outside Edinburgh. I don't know if I was frightened or not, but I really fancied the adventure. Accompanied by my mother we set off from Kings Cross Station which was teeming with people. Everyone seemed to be rushing away from London, no seats were to be had on the train, everyone was standing in the corridors, and one family of 5, plus suitcases occupied the first class lavatory. We plonked our huge heavy green suitcase down on the connection between two first class carriages and this then became our seat. We were travelling on the Flying Scotsman and it was impossible to see out of any window because there were so many people and their luggage and we evenually arrived very late, exhausted and filthy in Waverley Station where we were met by my Aunt.

We were then taken to my Aunt's house, it was a large house and my Aunt's mother, and father lived there as well as her bother. I remember I was much loved by them all. It was necessary for me to go to school and Dalkeith High School was about 1 1/2 - 2 miles away. I was asked what I was doing in Arithmetic and on telling them I was doing long division was placed in the correct class. The education was very strict, the strap was administered for any small offence, talking in line, not knowing your 10 spellings. I can remember some of the children found spelling very difficult and they regularly got the strap, I wonder how this affected them in later life.

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