Extracts from English Hartwright Reminiscences about life during
World War II 1939 -1945.

Recollections of what the War meant to a very young boy

whose home was the family pub The Rose and Lion in Bromyard, Herefordshire

From John Royall Hartwright’s Reminiscences

John pushing a barrel at the Rose and Lion

World War II, 1939, I’m just two years of age and the memory cells are just about to kick in. So really all I would know is living with a war going on, but what would this mean to someone so young living in a small village with a population of around  one thousand people?

My first recollection of war was standing at the bedroom window listening to the hum of planes going over and Mother telling me it was the bad Germans going over to bomb the factories at Hereford, where folks were working night and day helping the War Effort, but what was that to a four year old in Bromyard?

As one grew older a better understanding of what was going on soon made war a reality.  Carrying a gas mask; going to get free orange juice; having to take coupons with you to get sweets. Then we had a Prisoner of War camp in Bromyard, where there were German and Italians who worked on the local farms.  They didn’t look bad and they were most likely only too pleased to be so far away from the Front.

It was 1943 before my father was to go away and this saw many changes at home.  Mother had to spend more time in the bar, so we younger members of the family were in the care of my eldest sister Dulcie.  I would try to get my own way more with Father away, but there was always someone in the bar to help Mother put me in my place.  One in particular was the policeman from Bishops’ Frome.  No questions, just a smack.

Some of my strongest memories are:-

Seeing the Home Guard having mock attacks down the Three Mills and hearing them firing the blank rounds of ammunition.

Going down to the Gas Works to get coke when the coal was short.

Taking the battery from the wireless to be charged by a gentleman in the Old Road.

Going to Cubs on a Thursday night, where Mrs Moore the Cub Mistress always gave us warm soup and a bread roll before we went home.

Seeing the evacuees arriving from Birmingham.

Land Girls coming into town on a Saturday to do their weekly shopping.

We even had some American soldiers in Bromyard, plenty of chocolate and chewing gum.

Dad coming home on leave, and I had to behave!

Getting older I can remember going to the pictures and seeing the Pathe News, showing pictures of the War. This really was the first time I understood what war was.

Living in a public house had many advantages, particularly the little extras.  Plenty of sweet coupons from the older customers that never used up their monthly rations.  There was always a rabbit for the pot and plenty of fruit and vegetables that were in season.

Because of the war, the animals from Chapman’s Circus were brought to a farm just outside town, but their elephants were kept in a building at the King’s Arms.  It was not unknown for them to break out and on some occasions find their way to the Rose and Lion, where they would lean over the wall and eat the vegetables out of the garden.  Sometimes the wall would give way and they would have a feast.

Beer was not always available, so it was “thank goodness” for Bulmer’s cider, the only thing I was allowed to serve, most likely it was because it was only 4d. a pint.

The end of the war and everything went crazy. Flags flying and people dancing at the top of the town.  I was now seven years of age and my mother allowed me to go and see what was going on, but I had to stand by Uncle Bert who played the drums for Les Preece’s band.  Uncle was quite deaf and many times he would go on playing after everybody had finished.  But who cared, the war was over and Dad would soon be home and things did change.