大象传媒

Sunday, September 3rd 1939, my father switched on the wireless and we heard the news we had been dreading. My school had been prepared for months, Granton Road Junior school. Our suitcases with a list of clothing and toiletries on a label stuck inside were quickly packed, we were off to Eastbourne the next day or so. We had brown paper carrier bags with basic rations, I only remember tinned corned beef and biscuits resembling digestive biscuits, but, hard as dog biscuits- unpalatable! I was received by the Wise family with four year old Diana. I remember going to the beach at weekends, life was pleasant. In the spring of 1940 I caught chicken- pox and gave it to Diana who had it more severely than I. By this time the beach was inaccessible; mines floating in the sea, barbed wire on the beach, and, concrete blocks on the promenade.

Our schooling took place in the Wesleyan Hall. Then, on June 23rd 1940, a Sunday, we were once more off to a secret destination. My father and other parents had come down on Saturday and saw us off on the train to Wales. I cannot imagine their anguish as the train pulled out.We arrived in Llanddeu Carmarthenshire on the one train all the way! The school (depleted in number, some not sent away) was divided into four groups and sent to four villages, sixteen or so in each group. I was sent to Llandduesant and billeted with Mr and Mrs Daniels at the Post office and General Store. We used the infants鈥� part of the school, whilst the Welsh children carried on in the larger part of the building. Our ages varied between seven and eleven, so our teachers had quite a difficult task. We had a school garden; an overgrown garden by a disused mill. We worked hard to clear and plant it. We grew vegetables which were used to make soup on the stove in the school room. The two years I spent in Wales were very enriching. I learnt some Welsh and can still remember it. At harvest time children 鈥渉elped鈥� on the farms, and at teatime enjoyed home-made food in the farm kitchen. In the spring I once had to catch two orphan lambs and give them the bottle. I passed my 鈥渆leven-plus鈥� in Llanddeusant, my father thought it best for me to go to St. Martin鈥檚 a London school, evacuated to Leatherhead.

In Leatherhead I was first with the Titley family, they were grocers. Then, for the rest of the war with the Miller Family. Schooling was in the Wesleyan Hall in the morning and sport at West Wing owned by a wealthy lady. We lunched in the Scout Hut, sometimes eating frozen potatoes (cooked) and served from enamel bowls which resembled washing-up bowls! In the afternoons we used the classrooms of St John鈥檚 School for vicars鈥� sons, whilst they were on the playing field.

漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.