War
The years in between are not very clear. I can remember there being no coal to heat the school boilers and all the children marching round the big classroom singing wartime songs and Mr Hartley and Mrs Eresfield keeping us in order and keeping us moving, I suppose to keep us warm. I remember taking eggs to school for the wounded soldiers with our name and address written on them. I remember the German submarine sailing up the Solway and firing some shells at a little place called Lowca, and at Parton where there was a big chemical plant.
I remember a shipwreck just off this beach and thousands of Australian rabbits being washed onto the beach. They were I believe certified fit to eat and people came from nearby villages and towns and carried them home for food. There were other things washed onto the beach as well. "Glaxo" ¹Condensed milk in huge tins, corned beef and tinned tongue.
Father had been working on that particular shift which brought him home in the early hours of the morning, and instead of going to bed he had gone wrecking and found a dozen tins of corned beef in a crate. He brought home six and hid the other six, called on his friend and they collected another dozen tins on tongue and halved the lot. This, when food was very scarce, was a gift from heaven and helped down the black bread and potatoes. The Glaxo was also excellent and we lived very well for quite a while.
The ship was not really wrecked but run aground during a storm and was eventually salvaged and towed off the sand bank. I remember how the beach stank and how the skeletons of rabbits were there for ages afterwards.
I remember the headmaster Mr Hartley assembling all the school each morning and after singing our morning prayers and God Save The King and Rule Britannia, and being told of our losses on land and sea. The situation was very serious and very sad. Many of the children had brothers or fathers in France and each time a letter was received from them it was noted and remarked on and rejoiced over. They were well, they were alive.
When the boys or men were on leave they came up to the school and were shown off in front of us all. "This is one of my old pupils" said the Head with great pride and tears in his eyes. They were sad terrible days, and as they fell in battle or were lost at sea we said prayers and were all very afraid.