Some Tears At Parting 

Tears at leaving their wartime home – and joy at once more returning to their own homes – were mingled on crowded Bideford station at 9.5am on Tuesday morning.

Young and old were among the party, including the twenty eight elderly ladies who had been staying at Belle View Hotel, Westward Ho! Ex-Mayors helped to trundle the luggage, which varied from ‘prams’ to bicycles, with travelling cased by the dozen, and there was a ‘help your neighbour’ atmosphere. Amid the excitement tinged with sadness, and on a long journey home, how many thoughts went back to those grim days and nights of bombing of 1940-41 and the 1944 flying bombs.

Those returning from Bideford Borough assembled at the Bethel (which was the first Rest Room), by kind permission of the Rev R J Parsons (who was Bideford’s Evacuation Reception Officer at the peak of the evacuation). At the Bethel the Deputy Mayor of Bideford – Ald F E Whiting, - deputising for the Mayor – Ald H W Fulford - who was unavoidably absent addressed them.

Others attending included Cllrs Sharley and J H Bright. VCP cars assisted in bringing evacuees from the outlying districts. The parties, which were of mothers and children, were made up as follows: From Bideford Borough, 82; from Northam Urban District, 74; and from Bideford Rural, 46. Quite a number of evacuees had already gone home. Evacuation officials were present to see the evacuees off, including the Chief Billeting Officials of the districts concerned, and other helpers. Mr Dovell represented the Ministry of Health.

Other parties of evacuees joined the special train at Barnstaple, Ilfracombe and Torrington.

Full Gazette article dated 19 June 1945