Wartime Memories Bill Cooper December 2019
The Ley after the Second World War before it was developed for housing (courtesy Anna Grayson)
The recollection of childhood memories is an aspect of the human mind which endures, especially when we grow to more mature years. The thoughts are as bright as though the events happened weeks, not decades, ago. There can be an element of wistful nostalgia but that doesn't explain how little, incidental events in our childhood life return while other, more important memories are lost. Bill Cooper has been one of our most prolific contributors with his marvellous recollection of wartime Box, which he describes almost as if he can see it.
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The Night Joey Escaped
The daily routine of Benny Drew’s horse Joey was always the same: collected from his steeply-terraced field in The Ley around mid-day; led around The Ley to Ben’s bakery on the Devizes Road, next to the Memorial; perhaps fed, then loaded with fresh loaves and out on the rounds, mainly to Box Hill; ending quite late in the day back at the bakery. Joey was then uncoupled and returned to his paddock. Our garden at Hill View, Chapel Lane, extended right down to the brook and adjoined Joey’s field, long before The Brownings was built. One night we were all awoken by the sounds of horse’s hoofs comprising a mighty clatter. That was Joey jumping a high stone wall onto Chapel Lane! The next morning, we could see the tell-tale hoofmarks all up the garden path. Somehow, Joey had not been stabled or fed properly and had decided to take matters into his own hands. He obviously knew where to go because the top of Chapel Lane opened onto the Devizes Road, his stable and food! |
Benny Drew and Joey on their rounds (courtesy Mark Jackowski)
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Christmas 1939 I came to Box in September 1939 when my parents were relocated here as part of the war effort. It was during the period called the Phoney War when there were many arrangements for the coming war but little military action. Over 200 children were evacuated to Box for safety and most had to be accommodated at school. To help the children settle, an infants’ Christmas Concert was held in the large upper room of the Methodist School. The room was full of pupils, many mums and many evacuees amongst the pupils. It was my first Christmas at school. A little lad, Georgie Steiner, had been billeted with the Brunt family and he and his family had not long escaped from Czechoslovakia. Georgie stood up and sang We will Rock you in his native language. It was very emotive at that time. Later on, Georgie re-joined his family elsewhere and I have often wondered where he went and how life panned out for him, my very first school friend. George Steiner pictured as Bill remember him (photograph courtesy Genevieve Horne, nee Brunt) |
Glyn Phillips
Glyn was another of my school friends and for many years, he and I soldiered along playing in the Rovers Reserves - he more than me in and out of the first team. When I went to Box School, Glyn was one of the big boys and I have rather painful memory of Glyn being sent across the road to the Methodist Schoolroom to collect me for the School Dentist trip, The dentist was Mr Tangye, a rather stern austere character who, on that occasion extracted two of my teeth, leaving Glyn to escort me back to the infant school in the Chapel. Glyn was the leader of the Barn Piece Gang which included Billy Hall, Mike Frayling, Donald Andrews. We spent many hours in the worked-out quarries, by the light of burning old rubber tyres acquired from Price’s yard. I am unable to throw any light on the Operation XX situation except to say that it was wartime and anything was possible.
Glyn was another of my school friends and for many years, he and I soldiered along playing in the Rovers Reserves - he more than me in and out of the first team. When I went to Box School, Glyn was one of the big boys and I have rather painful memory of Glyn being sent across the road to the Methodist Schoolroom to collect me for the School Dentist trip, The dentist was Mr Tangye, a rather stern austere character who, on that occasion extracted two of my teeth, leaving Glyn to escort me back to the infant school in the Chapel. Glyn was the leader of the Barn Piece Gang which included Billy Hall, Mike Frayling, Donald Andrews. We spent many hours in the worked-out quarries, by the light of burning old rubber tyres acquired from Price’s yard. I am unable to throw any light on the Operation XX situation except to say that it was wartime and anything was possible.
Operation Market Garden, Arnhem
In September 1944 a national operation was launched with the intention of shortening the war and beating the Russian Army to Berlin. The assault force called Operation Market Garden comprised both British and American Parachute Regiments and for many weeks before the operation, we could see the sky over Colerne full of parachutists. The Americans were camped somewhere around Thickwood, Colerne and one morning, Rev Maltin asked if there were any parishioners prepared to host some of them. We were allocated a young man called Hank who came from rural Kansas and he seemed to take a great delight in observing our way of life. One afternoon, he joined me in the bus queue by Parade Gardens, Bath, where he had been enjoying listening to the quartet in the bandstand. One day he mentioned a special request: he wanted to sit between my sister and me at the morning service which would remind him of home and his family. He left that day giving my sister a US lapel badge (for her a status symbol in those days) and for me, a wonderful present: a packet of chewing gum. He said that he hoped he might entertain our family in more peaceful times but, sadly, everyone knows, the campaign was a disaster (as illustrated by the film, A Bridge too Far). Presumably, Hank was one of the many fatal casualties as we never heard any more from him - and we didn’t even know his surname!
National Service
After the war, the British Government implemented the National Service Act which meant that all males over 18 had to serve a period in the forces. In the initial stages, it was 18 months, but later it was increased to 2 years. Pete Milsom and Ken Boulton were lucky in the former shorter spell but others including Monty Dermott, John Harris and I had to serve 2 long years. My call-up papers arrived with the official OHMS (On Her Majesty’s Service) displayed and scrawled across the front were the words Good Luck, Bill - obviously an addition from our postman Tommy Osbourne in the Box Sorting Office.
In September 1944 a national operation was launched with the intention of shortening the war and beating the Russian Army to Berlin. The assault force called Operation Market Garden comprised both British and American Parachute Regiments and for many weeks before the operation, we could see the sky over Colerne full of parachutists. The Americans were camped somewhere around Thickwood, Colerne and one morning, Rev Maltin asked if there were any parishioners prepared to host some of them. We were allocated a young man called Hank who came from rural Kansas and he seemed to take a great delight in observing our way of life. One afternoon, he joined me in the bus queue by Parade Gardens, Bath, where he had been enjoying listening to the quartet in the bandstand. One day he mentioned a special request: he wanted to sit between my sister and me at the morning service which would remind him of home and his family. He left that day giving my sister a US lapel badge (for her a status symbol in those days) and for me, a wonderful present: a packet of chewing gum. He said that he hoped he might entertain our family in more peaceful times but, sadly, everyone knows, the campaign was a disaster (as illustrated by the film, A Bridge too Far). Presumably, Hank was one of the many fatal casualties as we never heard any more from him - and we didn’t even know his surname!
National Service
After the war, the British Government implemented the National Service Act which meant that all males over 18 had to serve a period in the forces. In the initial stages, it was 18 months, but later it was increased to 2 years. Pete Milsom and Ken Boulton were lucky in the former shorter spell but others including Monty Dermott, John Harris and I had to serve 2 long years. My call-up papers arrived with the official OHMS (On Her Majesty’s Service) displayed and scrawled across the front were the words Good Luck, Bill - obviously an addition from our postman Tommy Osbourne in the Box Sorting Office.
Thank you, Bill. Your memories bring back the past to people who were there and recall it and paint the picture of life then for others who are too young to have had the experience. Further contributions or photos would be welcomed from everyone.