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During the war, we worked for old farmer Keep
My best friend Molly and me.
We planted and ho’d, reaped and we mowed
Whilst Mrs Keep kept us going
With her strong cups of tea.

Mister Keep was a Scotsman
He did make us laugh.
It was more of a pleasure
Couldn’t call it hard graft.

He had a black bull, ferocious and strong.
He kicked and he bellowed when we came along.
His black beady eyes were a sight to behold.
We dare not go hear him, we wasn’t that bold.

One day the old horse with me in the cart
Took off like the wind down the field.
I fell in the hay, so I wasn’t much hurt
Just my knees and my elbows were peeled.

There was the day when we cried
When the old donkey died.
She was lovely, was our Daisy May.
She’d run across the field,
Push her nose in your hand
And we’d feed her on carrots and hay.

The other day I went back, I leaned on the fence
Once again the past days I could see.
Old Farmer Keep, his big old cart horse,
Such sweet memories of Molly and me.

Gladys Bree
30 Seymour Road
Chalfont St Giles
Bucks, HP8 4RA

War Memories

My friend and I were walking along Bedford High Street September in 1939 when we met some friends who told us that Lord Chamberlain had just announced that war had broken out. I can’t remember what my feelings were, it didn’t seem to sink in at the time. Afterwards I wanted to join the land army but as I was working at the Laundry and we did the army and air force laundry, it was considered important. We often found letters in their laundry and met up with some of the lads, all good fun.

We had a deep cellar which we used as an Air Raid Shelter. One day the sirens went, as we rushed down the steps I lost my footing and caught my arm quite badly. The Manageress bandaged it for me, we didn’t go to the doctors much in those days. A couple of months after, I was using the press, caught my arm again. It took about a year before it was really better. My sister and I were in the pictured drome when the sirens went, everyone ran to the doors. My sister pulled me down under the seat as everyone was panicking, we heard the bombs exploding and when we eventually got outside, shop windows were broken, glass everywhere, I think a couple were killed and a few injured. One night the boss, my friend and I were fire watching, we stood on the laundry roof, the whole sky was red. It was the night London was blitzed. Overhead we heard the drone of German aircraft, we must have been mad. We just stood looking up, it was right overhead.

One Saturday afternoon my father was at his allotment. A German plane firing at them, luckily they were unhurt but badly shaken up, very badly. We often saw film stars, Clark Gable, Carole Landis, Kay Francis, many more.

A couple of days before Glen Miller went missing, he was playing at the Corn Exchange. There were crowds outside unable to get in. Sadly his plane was never found.

Just before D-Day our street was crowded with lorries. Housewives gave the soldiers tea and we made them sandwiches. We didn’t have much to spare but everyone was generous with what they had. Next morning the street was empty, days later all those lads were going over the Channel, it was D-Day. As we were a garrison town there were always our army, air force, and Americans. Now the streets were deserted, I often wondered what happened to those lads.

We used to listen to the music on the wireless and sing along with the big bands. That was lovely music. We loved Vera Lynn, Anne Shelton and all those lovely wartime songs. We had lots of air raids. If we were in the town we went down the Shelters.

Often we would have a singsong, everyone was so friendly. If we were at home and the sirens went, we would sit under the table. I doubt it would have done much good.

There was a field next to farmer Keep's land, it was very uneven with a huge crater filled with water. The army used it for exercises. Sometimes they would take us for rides in the Bren Gun Carriers. All good fun. Some evenings and weekends we helped on his farm. He was a Scotsman, he used to sing to us and make us laugh. There was a donkey over the field. He was lovely. One day he didn’t come to meet us, he’d fallen in the pit and drowned. I wrote a poem about her which I have enclosed. Just as it was, I still feel upset when I think about her.

I always felt safe in the blackout, mugging and rape was unheard of. Cycling to work we looked up at the barrage balloons. It was quite scary, they looked like they were falling on you. Children always seemed much happier then, they were always out playing. We would spend all day down by the river, you would see the occasional tramp but they never bothered anyone. We lived through a war, there were some bad times, but I can honestly say they were some of the best days of my life. I hope this is of some interest to you. It was the ordinary men who won the war, not the ones who gave their orders sitting behind their desks. I am English and very proud to be a part of our country.

Mrs Gladys Bree
30 Seymour Road
Chalfont St Giles
Bucks HP8 4RA

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