A Schoolboy's War in Cornwall

Book excerpt: Although only children at the time, the Second World War had a permanent effect on the schoolboys who lived through the conflict. Watching a country preparing for war and then being immersed in the horrors of the Blitz brought encounters and events that some will never forget. Now in their seventies and eighties, many are revisiting their memories of this period of upheaval and strife for the first time. In this poignant book, the author shares vivid memories of his evacuation from war-torn London to the comparative safety of places like Newquay, St Ives and Redruth in Cornwall. From touching recollections of enjoyable days spent with loved ones to the dark moments of falling bombs, this is an honest account of a wartime child's formative years. Together with rare images and accounts from fellow evacuees who were sent to Cornwall to escape the ravages of war, this book reveals how these experiences are indelibly inscribed on the minds of wartime children.