An Evacuee 1940 1945 David Bush

A Memory of Barnstaple.

I am now 89 but I was only 7 when I was collected from the pavement at the end of Yeo Vale Rd in 1940. I was given shelter at number 41 Carrington Terrace the home of Mr. & Mrs. Gear and their daughter Mary. They were wonderful to both me and my sister Phyllis and I had always kept in touch until Mary died aged 91 last year. All our lives we had regarded each other as brother and sister. I have so many wonderful memories of life in Barnstaple during the war years, I am at this moment recording them in a book that I am writing which will bear the title "Story of an Evacuee to Barnstaple 1940-1945". Although I doubt that I shall publish it, I will send a few copies to the public library for them to dispose of them as they wish. Rock park brings so many wonderful memories as Mr. Gear worked there as a park-keeper. The cattle market was also a place that I spent most Fridays on my school holidays where I made another great friend who died a few years ago and he drove a cattle lorry for a company called " Champions", taking me with him collecting cattle for the market from local farms. One occasion we brought in a bull for slaughter, we backed into the abattoir area the bull smelt blood and charged out of the gates of the lorry. We scarpered quickly.

---

---