In the August of my 15th birthday I went with my friend, Moira, and a number of other young people from local Churches to a Camp run by the Tyneside Evangelistic Crusade.

This Camp was in Scotland amidst the most beautiful scenery. In the mornings we had a Bible study and I think this is where I got my love for the book of Nehemiah as the study that year was on this book. The afternoons were free and in the evenings we had another meeting with a sing-song around the piano afterwards. Ray, a boy of our age, played the piano and he was amazing - he could almost make it talk!! No-one else owned up to playing the piano after we saw Ray with his fingers flying up and down the keys putting all the 'twiddly bits' in the choruses as Moira termed it.

Aberfoyle 1948

In the afternoons we would sit by the river bank and talk or go for long walks. I particularly remember one afternoon's walk! Moira and I decided to explore and we walked and walked and walked until we were exhausted. It was then we realised that we had the same amount of walking to do to get back to Camp. But there was no way we could manage it so we sat down in the road and then lay back in the scorching heat. As there were virtually no cars about we knew we were safe and so thought we would lie there until we eventually - we hoped heard a car coming. None came! How long we lay there I don't know but then, at long last, we heard the sound of an engine. Up we jumped and saw an Army lorry approaching. We stood in the middle of the road and waved it down.
'Can we have a lift back to.....?' we asked. 'Yes' the soldiers agreed, 'Hop in the back.' Eagerly we ran round to the back and got the shock of our lives! Dozens of eager hands were held out to help us up - they were Prisoners of War!!! We jumped back and squealed as if a horde of wasps had stung us. Our soldiers roared with laughter as we waved them on. The Prisoners, too, thought it a huge joke, but actually fraternising with the enemy was forbidden and the soldiers, and we, would have been in deep trouble had we climbed aboard. It had all been a big joke, but it scared us and there was no more waiting for transport after that!! We trudged back to Camp and didn't dare say a word to anyone!

I also remember at this Camp Moira and I were sitting by the river one day and I handed the boys a piece of chewing gum. They all accepted and we were all chewing and chatting. Some time later I gave them another piece which they eagerly took. After a while Moira and I stood up and as we began walking away I casually said 'By the way, the chewing gum was Laxative Chewing Gum.' Their roar of disbelief and shouts of throwing us into the river sent us fleeing for our lives. Fortunately I was a very fast runner and so reached safety before they could carry out their threat!! The following morning Moira and I innocently asked if they had spent a peaceful night. Their glowering looks gave us our answer! What a giggle!

One evening unbeknown to us, the boys decided to get their own back by banging on our dormitory door when we were making quite a noise dancing up and down the aisle and generally having a great time. We got such a fright as we thought the Commandant was annoyed with us for making such a noise so we scuttled into bed as fast as we could. no-one went to open the door as most of the girls had curlers in their hair and didn't want anyone to see them so we quietly settled down expecting to be in trouble with the Commandant in the morning. However, at breakfast the next morning the boys innocently asked if we had spent a peaceful night! It was then we realised who had been banging on our door the previous night and the boys had a good laugh at us!
Moira and I then decided we would get our own back on the boys so after lights out that evening we crept out of our dormitory and banged on their dormitory door. We were giggling thinking they would dive into bed as they had been making quite a racket. BUT boys are not girls and don't think as girls. Instead of sheepishly getting into bed they rushed to the door, opened it, saw us standing there in our pyjamas and rushed to get pillows. We screamed at the tops of our voices and rushed back to our dorm. Unfortunately the other girls had locked it as a joke and we couldn't get in! I remember we shouted at the tops of our voices 'The boys are here. The boys are here.' Immediately the door was opened and we saw the girls also armed with pillows - and a pillow fight then started between the boys and girls. Yes, even though some were resplendent in curlers!! Pillows were flying in every direction when the Commandant and Sister Mary, who was in charge of the girls, arrived at the scene. They were not pleased. We were told in no uncertain terms to get back into bed immediately, and the following morning at Study time we got quite a lecture on how young ladies and young gentlemen ought to behave! It had been great fun, though, and we had all enjoyed it.

In September 1944 the first Doodlebugs - V l's - started falling on London killing hundreds of people and causing untold damage to houses, shops, factories and other buildings. The V' stood for 'Revenge' rockets, and these were later followed by the V.2's which were even more devastating.

Also in September the Allies made a parachute landing in Holland. The Operation was called 'Operation Market Garden.' Some of the places where our men landed were directly in front of German heavy artillery which pinned our men down. We didn't know at the time but our half-cousin Cyril, was one of the Parachutists. He managed to crawl into a ditch half full of water and he later told us that as he lay there with shells flying over him he was sure he wouldn't make it and he prayed 'Lord, if you get me out of here safely, I will serve you full-time the rest of my life.' The Lord answered his prayer and he was rescued after some hours. Cyril kept his promise and on demob. he became a London City Missionary until the day he retired.

Many, many years later I visited these battlefields at Arnhem and the Bridge at Remagen and I thought of Cyril and his promise. I visited the graves of those who gave their lives to ensure a free and better world and one Gravestone particularly moved me. It stated that twin boys, the sons of a Rev.Minister and his wife lay there - the boys were 19 years old. It moved me to tears.

As the war dragged on with all its restrictions, shortages, sorrows and fears we wondered whenever we were going to get back to normal. When would rationing end? When would we be able to get onto the beach and not be worried about the land mines? When would the blackout end? When would the barrage balloons come down, and when would sandbags, gun emplacements and pill boxes be removed? Would life ever be the same again we wondered.

But on a happier note, in September there was a large G.T.C. Athletics Competition. This was a big event for all the Corps. in the North East area and I was chosen for a number of races. I remember being in the 100 yards and particularly being in the Relay Race as number three girl. Unfortunately numbers one and two were very slow so by the time the baton was passed to me we were well behind. I remember taking the baton, setting my sights on the last girl and running as hard as I could. I wasn't aware of catching up or passing the other girls, I only knew I had to get to the fourth girl as quickly as possible. When we won the race I had no idea why our Commandant and the girls flocked around me and congratulated me. I still remember my complete surprise at this turn of events. My Dad, who had been watching, was as proud as a peacock when he said 'Well done' and gave me a hug. Seeing my look of surprise he asked 'Didn't you hear the cheering? Didn't you see the people standing and applauding you?' I hadn't heard nor seen a thing! It sounds amazing now how I was so unaware of the cheers, I suppose my concentration had been so intense that only one thing mattered - getting to the fourth girl as quickly as possible. It had been an exciting day and at the end when all the points were added up it was found that our Corp had won the coveted Cup and I was allowed to take it home with me for gaining the most points. When we returned to school the following Monday the teachers congratulated me after having been told of our success by our Commandant. It was nice being congratulated but rather embarrassing too.

At 9p.m. the country almost came to a standstill to hear the news. After the news the sounds of Beethoven's 5th Symphony was heard with its 'V' notes - dot, dot dot dash Morse code for 'V' which meant VICTORY. This was followed by coded messages which were picked up by the Resistance in Norway, France, Belgium and other Nazi occupied countries. We would listen to 'Jim is expecting his parcel tomorrow' 'The sea was calm today' - strange messages which meant nothing to us but everything to those who were listening. It could mean that a Lysander would be dropping an S.O.E. man or woman to aid them. S.O.E. = Special Operations Executive. It could also mean that a drop of guns and other ammunition was going into Norway. We imagined the joy these messages would bring to the brave Resistance men and women who daily risked their lives in order to rid their country of the hated Germans. So the sounds of 'dot dot dot dash' gave us a thrill of pleasure as they reminded us that Victory WAS ours.

We took no notice of the silly voice of Lord Haw Haw with his Nazi propaganda. His reports of thousands of British men dying and the Allies eventual collapse when the triumphant Nazis would march into London just made us laugh. His lies were vicious and meant to scare us and depress us but it had the opposite effect as we turned it into a laugh and derided him.

There is always continuing sadness in war, however, and I remember the day we were told that a very popular teacher had died. I shan't mention his name here, but its written in my Diary. We thought he had been bombed but were told he had committed suicide following the death of his wife and children earlier.
I remember the sense of shock in the classroom as we struggled to take it in - a much loved teacher dead! We sat numbed as we looked at each other and tears came unbidden to our eyes, but this was wartime and we couldn't give way to tears as in 18 months to 2 years time we would be part of His Majesty's Fighting Forces, men and women with responsibilities so it was 'Concentrate on your lesson, do your best, this is your bit or the war effort' and so we took down our dictation determined to be the very best Writers when we were called up. I remember going home, however, and walking into our sitting room and looking out of the window with tears coursing down my face. It was all right to cry now in the privacy of my own home. Mam wondered where I was, then came into the sitting room and saw me weeping. I then told her of our well-loved teacher's death. I remember her comforting hug, but, there again, deep grief is something to be borne alone. These are things one never forgets. Not one day went by without a reminder of the horrors of war, yet of the bravery of our men who were fighting oppression on land, sea and air, and of the many brave people on the Home Front.

As the year progressed we were finally making way in Europe but it was difficult. The Germans were determined to beat us back into the sea again, but we were equally determined to push them out of France, Belgium and the other countries they had invaded, so it was hard fighting street by street with the loss of many lives.

One big event in 1945 was Billy being 'britched.' Boys at 12 years of age were allowed to wear long trousers instead of the short trousers!

What a day that was when he walked into Church in his new suit with long trousers. He looked so smart and we were all proud of him. All the adults congratulated him, but the other children teased him. 'Just you wait until next year, you'll be teased then' Billy said to the 11yr. olds. This teasing was all taken in good part as all the boys had their turn.

Easter 1945 was also a time to be remembered. The second year students were taken by our teachers to a Camp in Northumberland for two weeks. Cathy and I both went - after a lot of persuasion on my part to get her to go. Cathy was a shy girl and had never left home before and it took me many weeks before she agreed that perhaps Camp might be enjoyable after all. I found my Diary for this year and I see we were in Poplars Dormitory. I also note that we had half a slice of bread and cocoa with no sugar for supper! Evidently we were not impressed. My Diary also notes that we kept our breakfast egg to eat at night as we were starving by then. We also seem to have spent most of our pocket money on buying scones and anything else we could find to eat!

We visited Hexham Abbey and saw the place in the roof above the stone stairs where the Scots had poured moulten lead during one of the many border battles. Competitions were held daily to see whose dormitory was the neatest and cleanest and evidently we won the Cup most of the time. No doubt this was due to the fact that our G.T.C. Commandant was with us!! We enjoyed our long walks and one day came across a pool where I saw a frog - this great event being duly noted in my Diary! I also made a note that on April 23rd Mussolini was captured and killed by the Italians who then hung him upside down in a Square for all to see. 'Serve him right' was the general comment! At the end of the two weeks we had a wonderful concert with everyone taking part. Our school sang various songs and Cathy, who was excellent at bird calls, made the appropriate calls to the tune of 'In a Monastery Garden.' The teachers then acted a play which we thought was hilarious and they received resounding applause at the end. They were wonderful weeks which have left a lovely memory.

On May 7th. the war ended with the Germans finally realising they had lost. Hitler had committed suicide and his body was burned.

Unless you have been through a war. experienced the feelings that war engenders you cannot imagine what it means to hear the words 'The War is Over - we have Victory in Europe' which later became known simply as V.E. Day. The lights went on. Street lights flooded the streets. No more black-out at our windows. No more bombing. No more nights in the shelter. We could go to school every day at 9 a.m. Sandbags could now be removed; barbed wire and mines taken away from our beaches, and so it went on.
Elizabeth Aynsley ©

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