RICHARD CARLILL

I was six years old when the War began and lived at the Joiner's house - my father being the Village Joiner and undertaker. I was at Riston School with Mrs Worrall, Headteacher and in charge of the seniors, Miss Popplewell the Juniors, and Miss Hodgson the infants. We had to carry our gas masks to school and everyone had to know their Identity Number. A large van would occasionally come to the school and we had to wear our gas masks and go inside to test for leaks. There were no school dinners. I went home for mine but children from outlying farms would bring their sandwiches and we all had a small bottle of milk a day.

An air raid shelter was built on the playing fields behind the school wall but was inclined to fill with water. All the school windows were crossed with brown tape to prevent shattering glass and black-out precautions were put up in winter time. My father built an air raid shelter in one of our back rooms. There were tank traps along Main Street, one outside the School house, another outside Crinkle Cottage and another at Manor Farm down Catwick Lane.

In autumn time, one afternoon a week, children with teachers would go along the lanes collecting rose hips and haws. These were sent away to make Rose Hip Syrup. Older children were allowed a fortnight off to go potato picking and would earn sixpence, they would be working along side the Prisoners of War. There were P.O.W. camps at Arnold, behind Riston Grange and near Leven House. There were some very "foreign" looking prisoners in the camps - I don't know their exact nationality - and they would make wooden toys for us in exchange for cigarettes which we scrounged from our families and pushed through the wires of the camp.

Glebe Farm was the Headquarters of the Home Guard, the Auxiliary Fire Service and the Air Raid Wardens. We had Army Officers and their families billeted at our house, their H.Q. being Riston Grange.