Name:Catherine Galloway
Age:1939-8 1945-14

My Gran didn’t have any evacuees staying with her but she had friends who had been bombed out of their house living with her for some of the war.My Gran said that they had to borrow mattresses from their family so that there would be somewhere for them all to sleep.She also said it was very cramped at night but apart from that it was fine.In total she had 5 friends living with her.There names were Kate Russell - mum,Margaret Russell -daughter,James,Terry and Robert Russell-sons.Terry went on to become a lawyer and eventually the Sheriff of Kilmarnock.

My Gran said that school was normal in the war and the subjects stayed the same.But the windows in the school had to be taped or boarded up so if their was a bomb dropped they wouldn’t shatter.

My Gran went to Highland Dancing during the war to have fun.Once my Gran’s dancing teacher was asked to provide dancers to entertain the soliders who wre staying at Loanhead Primary School.My gran was one of the people who got picked to dance.As a thank you to all the dancers, the commanding officer presented them with a bar of chocolate each which was alot during the war because they only got 2oz of sweets a week.My gran also went to competitions during the war which she won medals and some money at.

I asked my gran what it was like having food rationed.She said that you tried to get everything you could because food was very limited.People grew vegetables in their garden so they didn’t have to use their tokens on them.She also said that not that mny people drank coffee during the war.

When the air raid sirens went off she said that she felt scared because she didn’t know what was happening.One of her neighbours had built into their basement so when the air raid sirens went off my gran and her family went there.

The closet my Gran ever got to a bomb was when the bomb got dropped in Culzean Cresent.She was hiding under the kitchen table at her Gran’s house with her aunt and her gran.She told me that her Gran was saying the rosary at the time.

I asked my Gran what it was like wearing a gas mask.She replied it was horribe and there was a really strong smell of rubber.She also added that she hated wearing her gas mask.

My Gan told me that one of the celebration partys was held in Munrow Avenue.She said that there was people dancing and singing.There was a row of tables on the street where there was some drinks sat out.The atmosphere was very happy and everyone was relived.

During the war the atmosphere was very tense and there wasn’t much of anything.Everything was scarce.People also didn’t get to visit that many places.

Other Info
My Great Papa(my gran’s dad)worked in the mines during the day and at night he checked that all the town’s people’s lights were out.He also sounded the alarm if bombers were near.
Buses came from London which had big air bags at the back of them because they ran on air.
When my Papa Muir was 14yrs old he left school and got a job driving horse and carts.

Eilidh
St.Columba’s Primary