An Emerald Green Rosebud by Jessica Allin

Author:Jessica Allin
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783065684
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd

CHAPTER THREE

EARLY LIFE IN ENGLAND

My Years as an Evacuee

At the onset of World War II, I was evacuated from Peckham in London. My older sister was responsible for my younger brother who was only six. My sister, who is less than a year younger in age, and I took care of each other. My older sister and younger brother were evacuated to a home three miles away, more to the centre of the village, in a charming place in Surrey. My little sister and I shared a home with two Spanish children of our age who had lost their parents during the Civil War. They were from Bilbao in Spain. My elder brother joined the Air Transport Command and was a Voluntary Reserve, finally joining the Royal Air Force. Unfortunately he was killed.

My memories of those days are happy ones, of green fields, the hedgerows, bushes of blackberries, the chestnut trees, sycamore trees, the joy of finding clumps of primroses and cowslips and seeing yellow and blue carpets of buttercups in the meadows. We would jump over the stiles and walk without fear to the village school and church. At times we were oblivious to the terror of war and at others aware of the Battle of Britain going on above our young heads.

We were separated from our parents for some years, during which time I celebrated my fourteenth birthday. The country air had a touch of spring for it was the end of March. A secret admirer of mine blushed and told me to close my eyes and open my hand. When I opened my eyes, on my hand there was a florin gleaming in the weak sunlight. “A happy birthday,” he said. I had never had so much money before. I told the lady who was my wartime mum about my lovely present. Sadly I was not allowed to keep the two shilling piece so perforce I returned it to my admirer. It was his special gift to me and it must have taken some time to save up such a lot of money. It would not even buy a Mars bar today now that I am nearly seventy-seven.

I think about the rolling hills and the lovely garden full of the wonders of nature, which I enjoyed during the evacuation. But most of that secret admirer and that gift of the florin – I wonder now how he must have felt. I hope not too sad.

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