Joan Zilva
Text Box: An account of a 14 year old’s WW2 overseas evacuation based on her letters home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AT AN AWKWARD AGE

A TEENAGER’S TRANSATLANTIC WARTIME SAGA

Chapter Six—Summer Holidays 1941
Text Box: Guide Camp, Hawkestone July 6th to 28th Text Box: Obviously my mother was worried. But she only needed to look at the photos! Text Box: The Cottage July 31st to August 3rd 1941 Text Box: This is the address of the store at the landing stage . To reach it from the cottage we had to canoe a couple of miles. There was nothing nearer. Text Box: I wasn’t the only one, by any means! Text Box: More attention by the Censor. Hope he enjoyed his read. Text Box: Presumably because the lights were already blacked out and, anyway, there were not many cars because of lack of petrol. Text Box: On one of the occasions when Dave and his wife Betty came to stay they brought me a T-shirt with loons on it. Text Box: War Guest Camp “Shangri-la”, Sundridge, Ontario August 10th to 17th 1941 Text Box: Poor Greta (or Gretta as I spelt previously!) I still vary in the spelling of her name. Which is correct? Text Box: The beginning of Beethoven’s 5th symphony has the same rhythm as the Morse code for V. It was used by Britain as a “victory” symbol - a bit of cheek, since Beethoven was German! Text Box: Back at the cottage August 24th to 31st 1941 Text Box: I learnt how she felt the next year, when I worked picking peaches in the Niagara area. However, I still love them. They cost a bit more than 6d (2½p) now! Text Box: My mother did, much later. My father never did. Text Box: Apart from anything else, Leningrad (St Petersburg) had been reached and the terrible siege was about to begin. Text Box: Our tent, Guide camp Hawkestone 1941 Text Box: Lu(cille) Wilson at camp. Text Box: Presumably these are the photographs mentioned on the last page, taken in Spring 1941. Text Box: The photos, including “Puss” It seems amazing that film was available all through the war. Text Box: The diving board at the cottage. Pastel drawn by me.

Chapter 1: Background

Chapter 2: The journey  Ch2 p2

Chapter 3: The Hays   Ch3 p2   Ch3 p3

Chapter 4: The Bartletts at last   Ch4 p2

Chapter 5: Bartletts 1941 Ch5 p2  Ch5 p3

Chapter 6: Summer holidays 1941

Chapter 7: Toronto  Ch7 p2  Ch7 p3  Ch7p4

Chapter 8: 1942 And still there   Ch8p2

Chapter 9: Fruit picking 1942  Ch9p2

Chapter 10: Waiting with impatience 1942

Chapter 11: 1943 Suspense & frustration

Chapter 12: Travelling home—May 1943

Chapter 13: Britain again in war and peace

Chapter 14: What became of us?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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