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BS: A child's war
| MGM·Lion | 13 Nov 11 - 06:11 AM | |
| Bert | 13 Nov 11 - 08:39 AM | |
| MGM·Lion | 13 Nov 11 - 08:49 AM | |
| Lizzie Cornish 1 | 13 Nov 11 - 09:41 AM | |
| GUEST,Eliza | 13 Nov 11 - 02:49 PM | |
| Leadfingers | 13 Nov 11 - 06:38 PM | |
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BS: A child's war
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Subject: BS: A child's war From: MGM·Lion Date: 13 Nov 11 - 06:11 AM Here is an account [edited] I wrote a while ago remembering my childhood [7-13] in WWii, which I called my "ANNUS FUCTABOUTILIS", in ref to the year I spent, aged 8-9, at 4 different schools in 3 different towns, & with many weeks of school time missed. At Woodstock School, The Drive, Golders Green, from Sep 1937-Sep 39, when aged 7 yrs 4 months. To Sidmouth, 31 Aug/1 Sep 39: war declared 3 Sep. There about 6 weeks, not at school. To Worthing. At Goring Hall School, Sussex, for my 8th birthday, 12 v 40. Back to London, 63 Ashbourne Avenue, Golders Green, Garden Suburb School, last 4-5 weeks of Summer Term. In Summer holiday, planned for sister Judith & me to go to Canada: all packed, farewell party held, but last minute change of regulations delayed, and then prevented, our departure. Still at Garden Suburb first few weeks (3? 4?) of Autumn Term. Blitz began 7 Sep. Went to school one morning; sent home again as school bombed too severely to carry on. King & Queen came in afternoon to inspect damage — King hit between shoulders by big (10 or 11) girl who pleaded when challenged that she only wanted to tell people she had touched the King. Smoke puffs visible above from dogfight otherwise too high to see. To Stony Stratford. No school. To Bedford. No school. There for Xmas 1940, lodgers in home of a Rev Mr Bearman. To 182 Towcester Road, Northampton. Far Cotton School, about 5-6 weeks of Spring Term. To 45 Mill Lane(?), Northampton. Started at Town & County School at beginning of Summer term. 9th birthday there. Back to Towcester Road. (So — 4 different schools in 3 different towns, & maybe 10-12 weeks of school time not at any school, between 8th & 9th birthdays!) Still at Northampton Town & County for 10th [& ?11th] birthday. Back to London. Started at Hendon County School, Sep 1943, aged 11 yrs and nearly 4 months. There for 7yrs & 1 term. Does anyone else about my age [b 1932] have any such detailed memories of WWii's effect on his/her childhood? ~Michael~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: A child's war From: Bert Date: 13 Nov 11 - 08:39 AM Yes Michael, We, My Sister and I, were evacuated to Wrexham in Wales. I was five years old and remember the horror of the train journey. It took all day to rip us from our parents and dump us with some strangers. I wanted to use the toilet, and set off up the train. With a train full of kids with almost no supervision, every toilet was in a disgusting mess. Eventually I found a usable one, but when I had done, I got turned around and set off towards the end of the train. I opened that last door and nearly walked out onto the track. Then I had to turn around and find my Sister. It seemed to me that I would never find her, it took me ages. Also I remember, one time the train stopped behind some row houses and, word must have got around that a train full of evacuees was passing, because all the housewives came out into their back yards to wave to us. |
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Subject: RE: BS: A child's war From: MGM·Lion Date: 13 Nov 11 - 08:49 AM Thank you, Bert. My sister, who went with her school at the beginning & only rejoined us later, had similar tales to tell. She, tho, was older ~ 14 when war began. ~M~ |
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Subject: RE: BS: A child's war From: Lizzie Cornish 1 Date: 13 Nov 11 - 09:41 AM My Mum went to 13 different schools during the war, as her parents were constantly on the move too..She'd be 80 now, if she were still alive..She also lived in Hendon for a while, Michael...and of course, I lived in Sidmouth.. :0) She found it, naturally, very disruptive and scary, always 'the new girl', never settling anywhere. Maybe it's why we lived in the same house all our lives as children and when, finally, Mum and Dad moved down to Devon with us, Mum was totally unable to cope with the whole 'moving house' experience, going out for the day, day after day, unable to pack anything, or watch her home being dismantled, as such. |
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Subject: RE: BS: A child's war From: GUEST,Eliza Date: 13 Nov 11 - 02:49 PM An elderly Dutch lady in our village told me she was seized one day in the village street (near Rotterdam) by German soldiers and dragged with her sister by the scruffs of their necks to witness a man being shot for stealing food. He was gunned down in front of them. These little girls were aged 8 and 5. Unimaginable. |
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Subject: RE: BS: A child's war From: Leadfingers Date: 13 Nov 11 - 06:38 PM I was just five when the war ended ! I have a very clear memory of VE Day , with a bonfire at both ends of the street , and a large car (Probably a Taxi) trying to get down the road past the flames ! |
