蜜芽传媒

My name is Harry Swain and my wife Joan and I have been married for over 50 years. We live in Marple, Cheshire and have two children and four grandchildren.

In the last days of August 1939 my Father and mother took my sister Dorothy and I to Blackpool for a week. I was nearly 12 years old and my sister was 15. We lived at 8 Carill Drive, Fallowfield, Manchester M14.

My father was a Commissionaire at William Deacons Bank in Moseley Street, Manchester. He had served in the Royal Marines from August 1914 to Jan 1936.

My sister went to Fallowfield Central School for Girls and I went to Ducie Avenue Central School on Denmark Road in Rusholme.

On the Thursday before Sunday 3rd September 1939, our parents had taken my sister and myself to Blackpool Pleasure Beach for the evening. While we were there, we met a couple who were at the same 鈥渄igs鈥� as we were. They told my Dad that it looked like war was inevitable, so my Dad said we were cutting our holiday short because schools were being evacuated starting the next day, Friday 1st September 1939.

We packed and caught a bus to Manchester late that night and arrived at Lower Moseley Street Bus Station at about 12pm. (This bus station was near to where the Bridgewater Hall now stands). As this holiday was the only one that our family ever had together 鈥�(money was not very plentiful in those days) 鈥� I say thanks very much Adolf!

There were no taxis at the Bus Station so we set off to walk to Fallowfield. However, when we were passing the Palace Theatre 鈥� a cab was seen going towards Manchester so my Dad waved him down and we were spared quite a long walk.

Our parents spent that night getting our clothes ready for evacuation on Friday to unknown destinations.

On Friday, my sister went to school (about 150 yards away) and I went to my school. When I arrived there, we were sent back home as our evacuation would take place on Saturday.

On the Saturday, our school was evacuated to Congleton. I was billeted along with another lad with a Mrs Porter near the middle of Congleton but after a week we were moved 鈥� the other lad to a farm owned by Mr and Mrs Chadduck and myself to a family who lived at No. 4 Astbury Lane Ends. Both us lads were about 100 yards apart and I went to the farm regularly. The family I stayed with were Mr and Mrs Smith and their son Raymond. My memories are of a lovely caring family who looked after a lonely scared 12 year old and I thank them very much.

Shortly after the outbreak of war my father was recalled to the Royal Marines at Plymouth.

We were a family divided. My dear Mum at 8 Carrill Drive, my sister in Macclesfield billeted with the family of the Town Clerk of that town, myself at Congleton and my Dad at RM Barracks, Plymouth.

After six months the schools returned to Manchester so Mum had Dorothy and myself at home and then the air raids started. We were very lucky 鈥� not even a cracked window even though a land mine landed on the Manchester Athletic Ground along Moseley Road and another one on the new school near Platt Fields which is now known as Manchester High School for Girls.

My father went overseas in Spring 1941 and Mum was devastated to receive a telegram that Dad was missing in action. We knew where he had gone 鈥� he had given my Mum a code which told us he was on Crete. A month or so later we had a printed Red Cross Card from him saying that he was in good health and letters would follow.

My mother moved (with my sister and I of course) to Bredbury (27 Brookfield Avenue). I continued attending Ducie Avenue School and my sister worked for a year or two at TR Bromley and Sons, Fire Loss Assessors in Midland Bank House, Cross Street, and then joined the Wrens being stationed at Greenock and Londonderry. After leaving school, I worked at Mirrlees Bickerton and Day Ltd, Diesle Engine Manufacturers on Bramall Moor Lane, Hazel Grove. After about 18 months the war in Europe was over and my Dad was flown to England from Lubeck in Germany. He went back to the Bank until he retired in 1962.

I was called up in 1946 and joined the RAF Regiment and for about 15 months was stationed at Lubeck in Germany 鈥� the base from which my father flew home in 1945.

I have many other memories of the war but I think this is quite sufficient at the moment.

Ps When my dad heard that I was at Lubeck he asked me to look for his mug that he had used for about 4 years in Marleg and Milag Nord P.O.W Camp 鈥� the last thing he did as he climbed onto a Lancaster Bomber was to throw his mug away 鈥� it had his service no. PLY16995 on it 鈥� I didn鈥檛 find it of course!

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