Description
Object description
British civilian billeting officer and host for evacuees in Saffron Walden, GB, 1939-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as civilian in Saffron Walden in GB, 1937-1939: move to town, 1937; atmosphere in Saffron Walden; awareness of world events; anticipation of coming war; attitude towards conscientious objection. Recollections of period as billeting officer and host for evacuees in Saffron Walden, GB, 1939-1945: reaction to outbreak of Second World War, 9/1939; poverty in GB during 1930s; rations and attitude towards wartime diet; arrival of first evacuees from London; billeting system; requisitioning of empty property to house evacuees; four evacuated families occupying one house; finding accommodation for families unsuitable for billeting.
REEL 2 Continues: role of Stanley Wilson as welfare officer; question of finding suitable homes for evacuees; difficulties for evacuated mothers to adapt to country life; acquiring beds for evacuees; organisation of hostel for expectant mothers and nursery school; other facilities organised for evacuees and their parents; evacuees billeted in her own home; organising entertainments and facilities for evacuees; bombing of town, summer 1940; decision to send own children away for safety; residential nursery schools for evacuees; impact of Battle of Britain on area, summer 1940.
REEL 3 Continues: preparations for potential invasion; attitude of local people to invasion threat; lone attack by German bomber on town; story of how Betty Everett rescued man from crashed aircraft; presence of Polish forces training at Audley End; attitude towards war; attitude towards presence of evacuees in her home; how evacuees adapted to life in Saffron Walden; influx of evacuees after start of German air attacks on London, 9/1940; finding accommodation for evacuees; importance of British Restaurant and fish and chip shops for evacuees; husband's role as Chief Billeting Officer; attitude of locals towards evacuees.
REEL 4 Continues: how she considered second influx of evacuees as refugees from bombing; story of soldier who deserted in order to find wife; story of evacuee who was abandoned by his family; types of people taking refuge in Saffron Walden; presence of American servicemen in area; attitude of British troops towards presence of Americans; opinion of American servicemen; how evacuees increased awareness of living conditions in East End of London; physical condition of evacuees; attempts to match evacuees to billet; attempts to keep family members together; story of explosion of ammunition dump at Chesterford Park near town, 23/5/1944.
REEL 5 Continues: hosting of evacuees during second wave; money provided to hosts for evacuees' upkeep; system of clothing provision for evacuees and American 'Bundles for Britain' scheme; impact of East London accent and language on local dialect; complaints procedure; duties of billeting officers; story of how Mrs Allen cared for old lady from East End of London; relations with and attitude towards Eastenders; reaction of local people to air raid warnings; story of bailed out German airman who was offered a cup of tea by farmer's wife.
REEL 6 Continues: camp set up in area to re-educate Hitler Youth prisoners of war; appeals for local families to take in young German prisoners of war at Christmas, 12/1946; taking in German prisoner of war Klaus Malestski at Christmas, 12/1946; story of how two prisoners of war who made wendy house for local school; Austrian and German refugees living in area; how her husband's friend was interned; attempts to match evacuees to billets; how evacuees adapted to life in town.
REEL 7 Continues: impact of living in country on evacuees; importance of education for evacuees; evacuees who obtained employment in area; German V1 Flying Bombs; listening to Allied aircraft returning at night; reaction in area to VE Day, 8/5/1945; giving talks to groups of children about Second World War; return of evacuees to homes; question of how evacuees raised awareness of living conditions for poor in GB.