A Different Time,And A Different Place.

A Memory of Bexleyheath.

My name is John Kilby,and I lived in 63 Sydney Road at the beginning of World war 2-it belonged to my grand oarent who had bought it for 800 poumds in 1926 I think.I am 85 now,but my memory is still pretty good.I attended Upton Road School for a while.I was evacuated with my Mother and sister in 1941 to Honiton Devon,and later to a farm in Lincolnshire.My Father landed on Sword Beach with his men I think he was leading a platoon at that time-he was 32-he was also involved in some of the heaviest fighting at the Falaise Gap,and the town of Caen.My family,including myself and my sister went back and forth during the war years to Bexleyheath,until my sister and myself were sent to a boarding school in Somerset.

Its a strange thing,but I have always had a very strong urge to return to Bexleyheath,and did so about 14 years ago.It had not changed that much,but the pull of the place was very strong for me,and very emotional .We had lived there during 1944 at the time of the V1 and V2 rockets-many of which had fallen on the area-I can still recall the sound of the V 1 engine-a little like a motor cycle engine.!!

I left the UK in 1957,and now live in Austin, Texas a far cry from dear old Bexleyheath-here I can be on the open road within 10 minutes of my house and in a wide open plain within 20 minutes-lots of room and not to may people-I hope someone might find my ramblings of some interest-I will always remember that era-it was a hard time indeed-most of us were pretty slim-walked a lot or rode a bicycle-Take care,

Regards,

John Kilby