My father was Station Officer Atherfield between 1941 and 1946. Although my childhood might have been considered 'lonely' I have such fond and vivid memories of my time there aged 3 -8 years. I do remember J. B. Priestley stopping to speak to my Dad and my Dad telling me who he was. It didn't mean anything to me at the time.

I went first to Shorwell and then to Chale School - on the school bus caught at the bottom of the lane and still relive the journey round to back roads picking up other children.

I vividly remember harvest time on the field over the wall - I think it was farmer Jones'. My mum was a land girl at the farm and I recall the jam sandwiches and tea in a bottle. I also remember the searchlight unit based in the other field and the soldiers coming to the house for a cup of tea. On their final day the kitchen was set up as a stage - curtain and all - for me to sing to them 'Your are my sunshine' but I was too shy.

My parents used to go for a drink at the Clarendon as it was then - on a Saturday and I would sit in the pub kitchen reading film magazines. The Post van would often take mum and I into Newport or Ventnor where we went to the cinema. In Ventnor Mum would borrow books from Boots library. I could go on and on but will close with the memory of the Reverend Sinclair, Vicar at Chale who would ride around on a tricycle wearing a shovel hat and a billowing black cloak. He used to frighten us terribly. (Many years later I discovered that he was one of the investigators of Borley Rectory in Suffolk - 'the most haunted house in England').

In lighter mood I remember visiting the 'holiday camp' at Brighstone owned by a lady with a pet sheep which she kept on a lead - there I recall Sandy Powell giving ' a turn'. Mr. Mew gave my father a signed copy of 'The Back of the Wight' but I lent it out and it was never returned.