Happy Childhood 1942 1953

A Memory of Denmead.

My name is Howard Johnson. I lived in Thompsons Lane. I went to Old School  1945-53. Mr Cleary was my first  headmaster, replaced by Mrs Jones. Teachers were Mr Mogeridge, Miss Pitt, Miss Abbot. I was in the football team   with Trevor Kilner, W Wildsmith, Peter Knight, Dave Rocket, John Clark (all I can remember). I worked as a boy on Carpenters Farm (now renamed I think). Mr Player was the farmer. Farmer Bendall used to fly an Auster aircraft from a field near the school. In the bad winter of 1947 I collected over 100 German incendary bombs hung up in hedges, local policeman collected them and threw them in a pond at the top of Thompsons Lane, there is a house now on the site I think. I could go on and on, but I wouldn't have changed my childhood for anything. I am now 66yrs old and farming on the Isle of Wight.

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