Resources Search Results - full record

Title WARTIME EXPERIENCES BY BARRIE CHIVERTON ( Barrie now lives in Walmer in Kent)

Description
I was born in 1935 in Ranelagh Road in what was then Brock's Estate. I lived there through World War II whilst attending Leverstock Green Primary School in Pancake Lane. Mr Ayres was headmaster and Miss Hoggett was one of the teachers. I remember her because she used a wooden ruler across the tender part of your forearm if you misbehaved.

School was a twenty minute walk away from my home, past The Plough pub on St.Albans Road, over the hill, past the blacksmith's workshop, through the village past The Leather Bottle where my father met his friends on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes, and then past (or in!) the village pond, Skeggs corner shop, the village policeman's (PC Aldridge I think) and down Pancake Lane to school.

When the air raid sirens went at school, we had to move into the corridors and sit on mattresses. Of course the frightening times were when we heard the drone of the doodlebugs stop. That was when we were told that the explosion would be ten seconds after the sound stopped. We all cheered up when the all-clear continuous siren sounded, as thankfully no bombs or doodlebugs landed near us.

At home we had a couple of soldiers billetted with us for a while, but not at the same time. We also had two young boys of my age, also at different times. They were evacuated out of London's Cricklewood area to be safer in Hemel. I remember that one of the boys ran away the day after he arrived - he wanted to be back with his mum!

Of course we had ration books for foodstuffs. We used sugar at home and needed the coupons in order to get it. My mother's sister and her policeman husband who lived in Sutton, didn't use sugar and my aunt would have given their sugar ration to us, but being a 'true' copper, my uncle would not let her do it!

With my friend Jimmy Allard, I used to frequent Mr Wiles's farm beside coxpond at the bottom of Vauxhall Road opposite what was Sheldrakes Shop. The Wiles's had children of our age and we used to play and help around the farm. I remember them having landgirls, and also prisoners of war in to help with various farm work. We seemed to have long hot summers in those days.

Coxpond, which was later filled in, was an attraction for us kids, but during the war it was used by the army, including the US army, for submersion trials. The army vehicles, tanks as well, ran in one side of the pond and out the other, probably getting half-submerged. The water sensitive parts of the engines had been covered with a heavy, smelly wax for the trials. We kids loved to be around because we got rides and sweets/chewing gum from the soldiers.

I was going to say that's all I remember, but recall hearing the German propaganda radio broadcasts starting with that deep, gruff voice saying "This is Funf speaking". Maybe not the correct spelling but certainly correct in pronunciation!

Keywords Leverstock Green Primary School, air raids, evacuees, billetting, rationing Wile's farm, American army, landarmy, POWs, German propaganda

Collection Home Front

Place Hemel Hempstead

Year 1939 - 1945

Conflict World War Two

File type html

Record ID number 143

Return to the search results?

Can you add any more information to this resource?

If so please complete this form and we will be in touch

Change text size -

Title	WARTIME EXPERIENCES BY BARRIE CHIVERTON ( Barrie now lives in Walmer in Kent)
Description	I was born in 1935 in Ranelagh Road in what was then Brock's Estate. I lived there through World War II whilst attending Leverstock Green Primary School in Pancake Lane. Mr Ayres was headmaster and Miss Hoggett was one of the teachers. I remember her because she used a wooden ruler across the tender part of your forearm if you misbehaved. School was a twenty minute walk away from my home, past The Plough pub on St.Albans Road, over the hill, past the blacksmith's workshop, through the village past The Leather Bottle where my father met his friends on Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes, and then past (or in!) the village pond, Skeggs corner shop, the village policeman's (PC Aldridge I think) and down Pancake Lane to school. When the air raid sirens went at school, we had to move into the corridors and sit on mattresses. Of course the frightening times were when we heard the drone of the doodlebugs stop. That was when we were told that the explosion would be ten seconds after the sound stopped. We all cheered up when the all-clear continuous siren sounded, as thankfully no bombs or doodlebugs landed near us. At home we had a couple of soldiers billetted with us for a while, but not at the same time. We also had two young boys of my age, also at different times. They were evacuated out of London's Cricklewood area to be safer in Hemel. I remember that one of the boys ran away the day after he arrived - he wanted to be back with his mum! Of course we had ration books for foodstuffs. We used sugar at home and needed the coupons in order to get it. My mother's sister and her policeman husband who lived in Sutton, didn't use sugar and my aunt would have given their sugar ration to us, but being a 'true' copper, my uncle would not let her do it! With my friend Jimmy Allard, I used to frequent Mr Wiles's farm beside coxpond at the bottom of Vauxhall Road opposite what was Sheldrakes Shop. The Wiles's had children of our age and we used to play and help around the farm. I remember them having landgirls, and also prisoners of war in to help with various farm work. We seemed to have long hot summers in those days. Coxpond, which was later filled in, was an attraction for us kids, but during the war it was used by the army, including the US army, for submersion trials. The army vehicles, tanks as well, ran in one side of the pond and out the other, probably getting half-submerged. The water sensitive parts of the engines had been covered with a heavy, smelly wax for the trials. We kids loved to be around because we got rides and sweets/chewing gum from the soldiers. I was going to say that's all I remember, but recall hearing the German propaganda radio broadcasts starting with that deep, gruff voice saying "This is Funf speaking". Maybe not the correct spelling but certainly correct in pronunciation!
Keywords	Leverstock Green Primary School, air raids, evacuees, billetting, rationing Wile's farm, American army, landarmy, POWs, German propaganda
Collection	Home Front
Place	Hemel Hempstead
Year	1939 - 1945
Conflict	World War Two
File type	html
Record ID number	143