LONDON IN WARTIME

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 68, 13 December 1939, Page 7

LONDON IN WARTIME

Experiences Of New Zealander EVACUATION OF CHILDREN A SORRY SIGHT Not everyone who goes to England has the interesting experience that fell to the lot of Mr. John Flockton, manufacturers’ agent, who recently returned t ■ New Zealand from a sojourn in England. Mr. Flockton went to London

primarily in connexion with his failing eyesight, and was there during the whole of September. "I was there when war was declared, oilowing the advance of the German army into Poland,” said Mr. Flockton.

“It was a rather wonderful experience, because it was so different from the outbreak of the last war. Oii this occasion there was no singing and shouting, no Hag-waving, or bandplaying. English people simply accepted war as something inevitable: something that had to be done to save the world from the ruthless aggression of Germany. No one wanted war, but they all seemed to think that it could not be avoided, and accepted it grimly. London went about its business normally, and the people generally were quite calm and undisturbed. Probably nothing like it has been seen in the history of England—for the nation to go to war against a powerful enemy, and do it so calmly and unexeitedly. _ “I think the sorriest sight I witnessed was the evacuation of the children from. London,” said Mr. Flockton. “I speak of the children who left the Victoria railway station, near

where I lived at the time. Neither the children nor their parents knew where (hey were going; but every child had a label tied on to it. That was rill the clue that was left between them and their parents- Mothers were there in plenty, crying at the thought of being parted from their children. And the children seeing them cry also added to the anguish of the scene. Yet for all that the evacuation of the children was accomplished in a few days, in quite orderly fashion. Those children were still ‘somewhere in England’ when I left at the end of September.

A Stroke of Luck. “I bad a stroke of luck,” said Mr. Floektoii. “When I left Wellington I took with me a letter of introduction to Dr. Mary Blair, sister of Mr. Justice Blair, Wellington, and when she learned of my infirmity site asked me to live next door to her place in Belgrave Road. Acting on her advice I did so. There I met a very wonderful old lady who took me in band, helped be to go here and there about my business, and generally was my trusted companion. Even when the blind people had to be evacuated, myself among them, she kept in touch with me at East .Molesey (near Hampton Court), and on my return rendered me all possible assistance till I left the London docks for New Zealand. I afterward ascertained she was Miss Waterhouse, C.B-E., Kaiser-i-liind, Red Cross (first class) and an important officer of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem. Though she did not divulge who she was. I knew she must be someone with a certain authority by the wav she addressed people, notably in placing me under the care of an officer of the Oronsay. When 1 was leaving London I tried to express my gratitude to her and her friend Lady Frances McGill, for all they had done for me. To that she replied: 'Mr. Flockton. I am afraid I have been a very selfish woman, due I am afraid to having too much of my own wav in charge of different units of service. Now I am realizing that, and I am trying to do a little good whenever I see there is a chance.’ The cjiarm and consideration of that woman I can never forget. ‘•Her friend and companion was Lady Frances McGill, strangely enough for-

merly of Wellington. She had not visited New Zealand for many years, but she told me that her people at one time owned the land between Dufferin Street and Brougham Street. She could remember Wellington well, and asked me all manner of questions about the place. The Voyage Home. “My story would not be complete without telling you of another stroke of hick I had on the way out. I was on the deck one day, when, a woman passenger asked me if I would like to see tlirough her binoculars. J. had to tell her I could not do so, as I was nearly blind. From that out she constituted herself my protector and friend right out to Sydney. I canuot say enough to express my gratitude toward her. She was Miss Gravatte, who was at one time matron of the Otago Boys’ High School. “Before we left the docks in London the captain of the Oronsay assembled all the passengers in the lounge and told them he did not kuow by what route lie was sailing, as he was in the hands of the Admiralty. They would experience a blackout blacker than any in London, and all must help to preserve it. it was not till we were off Gibraltar that we knew where.we were, and : only on turning into the Strait did we know that we were coming out via the Suez Canal. Several times great French seaplanes circled round us, but we never saw a submarine of any kind. We stayed a few hours art Gibraltar and no one was allowed ashore.”

As an illustration of what Londoners were doing to make themselves comfortable under existing conditions, Mr. Flocktou said that Dr. Mary Bhrir had had constructed an air-raid shelter beneath the footpath opposite her house in Belgrave Road. There she had a cosy compartment, complete with deck chairs, table, radio, footstools—-a place capable of accommodating perhaps half-a-dozen people in an emergency. .Mr. Floekton was living close to Victoria Railway Station, and was awakened from sleep by the explosion there of the LR.A. bomb, which did so much damage io the .station.