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| Aberdovey |
About one year before the Second World War started Frank's sister, Ethel, said that she was sure the war was inevitable and, having a former colleague who was Welsh, arranged to rent a cottage in Aberdovey, where she intended to migrate when things came to a head. Her husband, Reg, was in the Navy and daughter, Gillian was about two years old.
Ethel had already gone to live there when war was declared. However, early in 1939 we had booked a holiday in Shanklin for the first two weeks in September. I had started to pack our cases, sorting out garments in a suitable manner and using a large expanding case as we were going by car. Then Frank's leave was suddenly stopped and we had to use smaller cases as we would be going by train. It seemed certain that Frank wouldn't be able to travel with us, and we wondered if it was wise for me and Frances to go either. However, Mr Fisher our next door neighbour said, "You go Mrs Fuller. This will all fizzle out!", which was the understatement of the year! Frances and I went off with our cases and got to Shanklin alright. Frances kept asking, "When's Daddy coming?". I think we were sitting on the seafront at Shanklin on the Sunday morning when war was declared. Back home in Dover, Frank, my dad and Mr Fisher spent several days digging out a shelter at the end of the garden. Mum told me there was an alert in the middle of dinnertime one day. She went to the shelter, but Dad said that whatever happened he was going to finish his dinner first!.
As soon as war was declared, Ethel got in touch from Aberdovey and said to Frank, "Don't let Eva and Frances go back to Dover. Send them to me here." This was an unforgettable kindness and Frances and I were in Aberdovey for six weeks. We had, of course, left Mum and Dad in our house at Dover at that time. By this time news began to come through as to Frank's destination for the duration of the war. He was nearly sent to Scotland, but somebody realised that he had just sent us off to Wales, and so he was posted to Swansea. He was allowed to look for accommodation, which had to include space for Mum and Dad, who were to join us. We were able to rent a beautifully furnished house belonging to Mr & Mrs Chidzoy, which looked out over Swansea Bay with Mumbles Head and Swansea Town on the right. When the war really started we watched the blitz on Swansea. It was terrible with five great fires and the whole place plastered with incendiaries. What devastation!
Frances and I left Shanklin on a Thursday morning at 8am and arrived in Aberdovey on Friday morning at 7.30am! It took us about 12 hours to get to Shrewsbury, by which time it was dark and all the lights were blacked out. There we had to alight and move from one end of the train to the other. This was very disconcerting; we were tired and hungry. I was asked where we were bound for, and when I said "Aberdovey" the guard said, " Next train calling there will be the mail train at 4.30am". So we settled down in the station waiting room for the night. Frances was eight years old and it was quite a trauma for her. Ethel had sent full instructions as to how to get to her address at 1 Brynhyfrid and we had to get out at Penhelig Halt. I had memorised the instructions in case it was dark when we arrived. The train came and we boarded it and were told to change at Machyonleth. I said that I could never remember that name so the guard agreed to come and tell me when we were there. We arrived on time at Machyonleth. The Aberdovey train did not stop at Penhelig halt but the guard said he would stop it for us, which he obligingly did. Ethel had waited all day on Thursday expecting us and by night-time knew we could not arrive until the mail train came on Friday morning. She met this train at Aberdovey, but of course we had alighted at Penhelig Halt hadn't we! I read the instructions and we started on our way - me, Frances, two cases and a holdall. We hadn't gone far when a lad came along on a bicycle and with a lovely Welsh accent said,"Would you be looking for Mrs Pryer (Ethel) is it?". I said, "Yes I would", and he took us there. This was typical of the kindness we received from the Welsh people.
We stayed for six weeks and by that time Frank had made arrangements for us to go to the furnished house in Port Talbot, it was called Quantock. We were very comfortable there and had very pleasant neighbours with twin daughters. The neighbour, Mrs Howell, was a member of the local operatic society and allowed me to go and use her piano
When Frances collapsed we thought it was about time that Mum and dad came down to join us, which they did, after taking great care to make sure that everything was secure at River. Mum saw to it that plenty of Keatings Powder was sprinkled in the piano. Mr & Mrs Lake kept an eye on the place and Frank Goodall, a railway policeman, was a wonderful watchdog! After a short while and towards what was called the phony war, we offered to have my sister's daughter, Doreen, to stay from the East End of London as we thought it would be safer for her. Arthur, Doreen's father, brought her down to Port Talbot and the first thing he saw when they alighted at Port Talbot station was a bomb crater. He commented, " I thought you didn't have any raids here!". That was about the only one we did have. I understand that Port Talbot was like a pencil on the map and not an easy target. We had many alerts and heard lots of planes, but they were enemy planes laying mines in the bay. As we sat on the beach one day we watched a ship coming across the bay, riding high, when suddenly there was a loud explosion and the ship split in the middle and went down. We were told that it was on its way to Fishguard to be degaussed (pronounced de-gowsed).( To learn more about this click the link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degaussing ) as there was no equipment at Port Talbot. We were all very scared. Doreen didn't stay with us long. Her parents missed her so much they came and took her back to Barking, where they bravely stuck out the war.
If you found this interesting you might like to look at my new blog
"Every Picture Tells a Story"
http://brianfuller75.blogspot.co.uk/
As soon as war was declared, Ethel got in touch from Aberdovey and said to Frank, "Don't let Eva and Frances go back to Dover. Send them to me here." This was an unforgettable kindness and Frances and I were in Aberdovey for six weeks. We had, of course, left Mum and Dad in our house at Dover at that time. By this time news began to come through as to Frank's destination for the duration of the war. He was nearly sent to Scotland, but somebody realised that he had just sent us off to Wales, and so he was posted to Swansea. He was allowed to look for accommodation, which had to include space for Mum and Dad, who were to join us. We were able to rent a beautifully furnished house belonging to Mr & Mrs Chidzoy, which looked out over Swansea Bay with Mumbles Head and Swansea Town on the right. When the war really started we watched the blitz on Swansea. It was terrible with five great fires and the whole place plastered with incendiaries. What devastation!
Frances and I left Shanklin on a Thursday morning at 8am and arrived in Aberdovey on Friday morning at 7.30am! It took us about 12 hours to get to Shrewsbury, by which time it was dark and all the lights were blacked out. There we had to alight and move from one end of the train to the other. This was very disconcerting; we were tired and hungry. I was asked where we were bound for, and when I said "Aberdovey" the guard said, " Next train calling there will be the mail train at 4.30am". So we settled down in the station waiting room for the night. Frances was eight years old and it was quite a trauma for her. Ethel had sent full instructions as to how to get to her address at 1 Brynhyfrid and we had to get out at Penhelig Halt. I had memorised the instructions in case it was dark when we arrived. The train came and we boarded it and were told to change at Machyonleth. I said that I could never remember that name so the guard agreed to come and tell me when we were there. We arrived on time at Machyonleth. The Aberdovey train did not stop at Penhelig halt but the guard said he would stop it for us, which he obligingly did. Ethel had waited all day on Thursday expecting us and by night-time knew we could not arrive until the mail train came on Friday morning. She met this train at Aberdovey, but of course we had alighted at Penhelig Halt hadn't we! I read the instructions and we started on our way - me, Frances, two cases and a holdall. We hadn't gone far when a lad came along on a bicycle and with a lovely Welsh accent said,"Would you be looking for Mrs Pryer (Ethel) is it?". I said, "Yes I would", and he took us there. This was typical of the kindness we received from the Welsh people.
We stayed for six weeks and by that time Frank had made arrangements for us to go to the furnished house in Port Talbot, it was called Quantock. We were very comfortable there and had very pleasant neighbours with twin daughters. The neighbour, Mrs Howell, was a member of the local operatic society and allowed me to go and use her piano
When Frances collapsed we thought it was about time that Mum and dad came down to join us, which they did, after taking great care to make sure that everything was secure at River. Mum saw to it that plenty of Keatings Powder was sprinkled in the piano. Mr & Mrs Lake kept an eye on the place and Frank Goodall, a railway policeman, was a wonderful watchdog! After a short while and towards what was called the phony war, we offered to have my sister's daughter, Doreen, to stay from the East End of London as we thought it would be safer for her. Arthur, Doreen's father, brought her down to Port Talbot and the first thing he saw when they alighted at Port Talbot station was a bomb crater. He commented, " I thought you didn't have any raids here!". That was about the only one we did have. I understand that Port Talbot was like a pencil on the map and not an easy target. We had many alerts and heard lots of planes, but they were enemy planes laying mines in the bay. As we sat on the beach one day we watched a ship coming across the bay, riding high, when suddenly there was a loud explosion and the ship split in the middle and went down. We were told that it was on its way to Fishguard to be degaussed (pronounced de-gowsed).( To learn more about this click the link - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degaussing ) as there was no equipment at Port Talbot. We were all very scared. Doreen didn't stay with us long. Her parents missed her so much they came and took her back to Barking, where they bravely stuck out the war.
If you found this interesting you might like to look at my new blog
"Every Picture Tells a Story"
http://brianfuller75.blogspot.co.uk/
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