From west of the frozen Exe to life in India
Postcard of the frozen River Exe in the RAMM collection
From the collection at RAMM
John was born just North East of Delhi (as marked on this map) in 1924
John, in his eighties, shares some of his life story
As told by John to the Curator of West Exe, at Age Concern in St Thomas
John was born in 1924. Here are a few of his memories in his own words:
When the Exe froze over
I remember when the Exe froze over. I was an apprentice mechanical engineer for Taylor and Bodley opposite the tan yard. They were engineering and foundry. In the lunch hour we came out from work and there were two of us walked across the River Exe. There used to be rowing boats tied up there. And when we got across there was a policeman standing there and he said, "Right, you can walk all the way back now." He must have been watching us. We were young and foolish. We weren't frightened. I've known it frozen over more than one year but not as much as this time. The whole river was thick and we walked across. Anything for a dare. We were the first two to walk across, two young boys of about 15.
Humber Gold Star
The war was on and we started at six in the morning - I never used to but the men did - and worked until six at night. I cycled to work and we cycled home for lunch. I used to have a three-speed semi drop handle bar bicycle a Humber Gold Star. It was all gold. I was young and fit in those days. When I was a little bit older we'd cycle all the way to the [Dawlish] Warren every weekend. It was all sand then, right up to Exmouth pier. When the tide was out you could wade half way across and swim a little bit and then you were in Exmouth.
Bit of the river coming back from Exe bridges
Okehampton Road used to be all tall big buildings along there; you couldn't see the river. All sorts of old fashioned businesses. I don't know what they sold or did there but I can remember it [the feel of the place] ever so plainly. There used to be a small bit of the river coming back from Exe bridges. We used to call it a cut. The river used to flow down inside the land. They used to come up in their canoes from the quay and we used to chuck lumps of metal or wood whatever we could get hold of to splash them, other young boys. It wasn't deep.
I helped push 'the house that moved' up over the hill.
Taking a 'gap' year
It was a long time officially, it was six years an apprenticeship. When I left school mother and father said "What are you going to do?" and I said "Engineering", and mother said "When are you going to start?" and I said "Not yet!" I had twelve-months holiday to start with. I had an aunty on a farm over near Shobrooke [near Crediton] and I went and stayed with them for a while. I used to go out rabitting with the farmer. In the summer they were crushing all the apples to make the cider. We had a straw and we were sucking it up through, a straw moult I think it was called, I can't remember. It was piece of corn with the head and the bottom cut off. I was laid up for a week, me and the farmer's son. They even sent for mother and father they were so worried about me. I don't know how much we drunk but it was lovely. As they crushed it so we were drinking it. Farmer Lee's son . I can't think of his Christian name now.
Born in India
1947 was a cold year wasn't it? It was frozen for ages, everything was frozen up. I was out in India then. I was born in India and I volunteered to go back there when I was called up. My father was in the army. So they [the army] said "If you want to go we'll send you back." We went by boat.
The newly formed state of Israel
We didn't go straight there [to India]. We landed at Egypt and I went up the coast. We docked in the Suez canal and then went to Palestine when all the Jews were leaving Europe [to go to the newly formed state which is now Israel] and they used to send the boat out to escort their boats and disembark them in [temporary camps in] Cypress. I was in charge of a platoon there and then all the young Jews used to come out and they'd strip right off and go in the sea swimming. They'd do that every day. They were nearly all teenagers. we escorted the Jews to their swimming beach then I'd about turn the boat and face away from the beach so the squaddies couldn't see them bathing. Then I'd escort them back to their camp. They waited there they'd get their names and ages - they didn't have an address of course - entered in the register then they were allowed to carry on. You could say it was the cream of the Jewish nation, what the Germans had left because they killed so many of them.* Very sad that was.
Stationed at Bombay
I was born in India just outside of Delhi at Meerut. My father was in the Second Devonshire Regiment. I came back when I was two or three. I volunteered to go back because I wanted to see where I was born. I got stationed at Bombay [now Mumbai]. I saw a lot of India because I was in Small Arms Inspection and we used to go to all the different Units in the province to inspect their arms, and their bicycles and the officers' silver teasets! If they were badly damaged you had to make a report. I loved it. I'd go back tomorrow if I could.
Mum came from Bowhill Lodge on Dunsford Road.
Father did 21 years in the army. Mother had gone out to follow father. I haven't got a birth certificate but a baptismal certificate from the army. That was in place of a birth certificate. It said on it where I was born. You couldn't get a birth certificate. They told us stories. Mum came from Bowhill Lodge on Dunsford Road. I remember the shop just up from the school. During the First World War she worked in London for a while in ammunitions. She came back here to her home I suppose. Father came back for leave and he must have met her here. Dad was from out to the other side of Crediton. They had a dairy out there somewhere.
The Curator of West Exe adds:
If you have overseas connections you might find this page interesting too: family overseas
Use this link to find more memories from Age Concern West Exe Day Care Group: Age Concern St Thomas
*Exeter City Council hosts an annual event to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day each January.