08-05-2025
Evacuees from South East remember experiences
Evacuees from South East remember war experiences
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Sara Smith
BBC News, Eastbourne
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Silvia Verrall said she enjoyed her time as an evacuee
People who were evacuated from the south coast of England as children say they have mixed memories of being moved away from home during World War Two.
As war broke out, it was decided children should be moved to safety, firstly from London as an obvious target for Hitler's bombs.
But it soon became clear those living in towns and cities along the south coast could also be in danger.
Silvia Verrall, now 94, left Eastbourne for Bedfordshire and said she had "very happy memories", of her time as an evacuee, which she described as "very enjoyable".
"I went over there and I thought I'd gone to heaven, it was so lovely," she added.
She was bridesmaid to the host family's daughter, and that couple's daughter was later bridesmaid to her.
Moira Jenkins was evacuated from Dover
But others did not enjoy the experience, including Moira Jenkins, now 93, who was evacuated from Dover.
She said: "We ended up in a massive playground, people came and picked [us].
"It was like a cattle market."
John Smith, now 89, says he was the last one of about five boys to be picked from inside a car.
"I thought 'nobody loves me'," he told BBC South East.
While Ruby Lee, now 95, did not like being away from her home in Dover.
She said she and her brother were placed with a husband and wife who had not been married long.
"The last thing they wanted was a couple of kids plonked on them," she said.
Mixed emotions
Mrs Verrall lost an uncle during the fighting and a cousin who was killed when a bomb fell on East Grinstead's cinema.
She said VE Day celebration were a mixture of emotions.
"People have every right to celebrate because we were so happy to have the war over and hopefully be living in peace," she said.
"At the same time we were remembering all the loved ones who had perished or been badly injured."
