Audrey's wartime story

“‘In everything give thanks’

"These are the words that come to mind when I remember those war years in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire.

It was a strange, uncertain day for a five-and-a-half-year-old child, as I waited with my mother, younger sister and brother to board a coach taking us to who knows where….

But we were so blessed. A dear lady and her husband, with no children of their own, decided to take us in. They had a small cottage, cosy and homely, but no bathroom! So, bath-time was infrequent and in a galvanised tub in front of the coal fire, cleanest in first. But they were happy days, believe it or not. We felt secure. Mum was with us, Dad visited occasionally, and we were well loved. And there was a recreation ground and a wood nearby, where we spent many a happy hour exploring.

Our wartime parents were a God-send - literally! Because of their generosity, we had a loving home, attended a good village school and a Methodist Sunday School, and I still have the Methodist Hymn Book I was given as a Sunday School prize. We stayed in touch with them after the war and in later life, and I have been to visit the village in recent years, reliving the memories with my daughters.

God is the God of Providence. I can testify to that.”