Page 15 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • August 2003 15
Youngster gets to sea at last Few tears as children are 'evacuated'
When Sam John from Tooth ill left Greendown School last summer to All the children from Haydonleigh School made a trip Kemble in
join the Royal Navy as a nervous 16 year old, she was one of the early July as part of their World War II studies. Eleven year old Jessica
youngest to join up. A few days after her seventeenth birthday in Price describes the experience.
mid-July she boarded her first ship HMS Liverpool. Before we came to been on a train. The ride
Following ten weeks of very been to several countries, taken school we had to be- to Kemble was quite
hard basic training last Autumn, part in numerous outdoor expedi- come an evacuee by quick and a lot of fun. On
she passed out to commence a four tions and because of the intensive dressing in 1939 the platform were lots of
year apprenticeship in weapons training she's well on her way to clothes. I wore a skirt, people waiting for us in-
engineering at HMS Collinwood gaining an engineering degree by a shirt, cardigan and cluding reporters and the
in Portsmouth. She should have the time she's 19." an old fashioned be- home-guard.
been sent to sea at the beginning of Angie added that Sam was well ret. My suitcase We followed many
the year but being under 17, the prepared at Greendown for her made me feel even banners and eventually
war against Iraq meant the Navy life of adventure. "She had lots of more like an evacuee arrived at Kemble School
had to keep her busy with other opportunities to take part in sports and I carried my mum's old doll. where we ate our lunch and had a
activities. These included crewing and outdoor activities and did bril- Finally everyone had to say good- short play on their enormous field.
a sailing boat to the south of France liantly in her GCSEs. bye to their Dad who would be In the village hall we got told
and a three week trek in going to fight in the war, and their whose house we would be going to;
Peru to complete her Mum who would stay at home. I was going with a man called Mr
Duke of Edinburgh's When I arrived at school, I Cooper. I felt it a bit scared going off
Gold award. looked around at everybody's out- with someone I didn't know.
Proud mum Angie fits and they looked excellent. Be- Then the air raid siren sounded
John said her daughter fore we went to Kemble we had to and we all quickly put on gas masks
had been itching to go to make an identity card with infor- that we had made, until the all clear.
sea. "Sam's wanted to join , mation about ourselves to show We heard a talk from real evacu-
the Navy and specialise officials, and also a label with our ees, one was Mrs Cooper who
in weapons for years but =- name, school and number to tie to spoke about being sent from Lon-
her young age has pre- our clothes. Just before going we don to Devon when she was three
vented her from joinin $ °^ RNRMSt all went into the school hall for our years old. After that we all wrote a
T1iE
a ship. She's delighted to last assembly to sing songs like postcard home which we posted
be out there and apply- ep Roll out the barrel, Pack up your trou- on the way back to the station.
ing her training. :\ ^ bles and We'll meet again. Then we Before we left we sang for the
"I'm amazed by the got into a very old, noisy bus which adults who had helped make our
range of activities Sam's was made before the war to take us day so interesting. Everyone re-
s
been involved within just ' — to Swindon station. ally liked the songs and the real
a year, apart from what a ` I was quite nervous waiting on evacuees said they brought back
e ri , i
new recruit learns. She's the platform because I had never memories.
School ready to expand into new facilities
Builders will be putting the finishing touches to a £2.8 million Back to School
expansion at Greendown School over the summer but no matter how
much catch up they do, the eight classroom extension, sports hall and Most schools now expect pupils to carry out research
remodelled dining hall are not likely to be ready until 29 September. ' ♦ via the internet or to complete their homework on a
Headteacher Steve O'Sullivan said that the three week delay is not a
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