Evacuation Memories
by Kate
I can still remember that Sunday morning sitting in the church, 3rd of September 1939, when the minister told us he had a special announcement to make. It was that we had declared war against Germany – what a shock to the ears of a fifteen year old who found it hard to accept this announcement. Now, the next thing to happen was talk of the evacuation of school children from the cities to the country areas where it was hoped it would be safer for the children.
I was fifteen, I would not be getting evacuated, but my younger sister and brother would be. Where would they be going, would I be able to visit, or would it be very far away?
During the next few days we waited for the letter telling when my sister and brother were to be evacuated and to where. We soon had word of the evacuation to Sanquhar and what each child would require to take. Each child had to have a change of clothes, trousers, vest, underpants, shirt, pullover, socks, also a towel, toothbrush and toothpaste. Both my brother and sister had good sized school bags so most of their clothing went into these bags and the rest of their equipment was wrapped up in a parcel.
The day of departure arrived and I was quite upset to see my family go, but I was promised that we would visit them in Sanquhar. My dad had a car, it was a company car, but he was allowed to use it at the weekend, so our first visit to Sanquhar could not come quickly enough. The day arrived for our first visit, and we set off for Sanquhar. When we arrived we first went to visit Sandy who was staying with the family of the Coop manager. They just had one little girl, and she was delighted with this new brother she had. My little brother had landed on his feet with this lovely couple and their daughter.
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