Page 134 - KBHA BULLETIN 6

of war breaking out in Europe. Sure enough our trip came to an abrupt end in Johannesburg

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when war was declared between Britain and Germany on the 3 September 1939, also my 9
birthday. The following day we set off for home.

At the time we were living at “Douglas Cottage” which shared a large erf with a redundant
pump station, an electrical sub-station and a large mountain plot. Unlike Johannesburg,

where we saw German cars being overturned and set alight by angry crowds, everything at
home appeared normal.

Neighbours in the “False Bay Flats” like Mr. McGregor, who had served in the trenches in
World War 1 and still suffered from the effects of poison gas, were very worried. I could

see that those who had had some contact with the previous World War were getting

together and talking about what could happen.

My sister and I returned to school and there too life seemed to be normal. Well almost. One
day we each received a large net-bag of enormous oranges the likes of which I had never

seen before! Apparently there were no ships for exporting the oranges to Europe so rather
than waste them we were given them free of charge!

Then something happened that I vividly remember. In our neighbourhood there was a
group of boys about 17 years of age. Although I was just a "pikkie", they accepted me and

were very friendly. Suddenly three of the group, Ronnie Baston, Michael Burls and Ricky
Ramsden, told me they were "joining up" and shortly after left Kalk Bay. Only 60 yrs later

were we to meet again!

I have had some difficulty in placing events in chronological order as being only 9years old

at the time, memory has faded with the years.

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