Alan and Ivy

On Tuesday 25 September Alan (an evacuee during the WW2) and Ivy (who lived in Maryport also during WW2) came into our school to talk about their experiences in the war. Alan told us about gas masks, ration books and being evacuated whereas Ivy told us about life in Maryport. Ivy told us about the time when a German bomber  fired and missed an aerodrome hiding Spitfires in Silloth. The bomber needed to get rid of all of its bombs so he dropped them on the nearest town which was Maryport. The bombs destroyed Ivy’s school and most of Main Street.

Alan was evacuated from Bristol when he was 8 to live with his grandparents in Teesdale, Durham, for 4 years. He was evacuated with his sister. His sister was only 4 so their grandparents’ farm was like home.  

Mr Bishop had a gas mask and Alan told us how important it was to have it with you all the time. It had a small tube on the front of it, no longer than 10 cm and a piece of shiny plastic and he said he liked making rude noises with it.

He also said that in school in those days they had a gas mask practice every Friday. Then Alan told us that because the people had their gas masks the Germans made even more toxic gas. So the people who had the gas masks then made an extra piece that was blue to protect them from the toxic gas.

He also talked about a ration book which contained coupons that shopkeepers cut out or signed when people bought food and other items.

Alan and Ivy helped increase our knowledge of WW2. We will be using this knowledge to write poems and memoirs.

Thank you Alan and Ivy.

Alan and Ivy

Alan talking about his boyhood as an evacuee

Michelle and Grace, Ivy and Alan 

By Grace & Michelle (Yr6)