Gordon’s first memories are of his family moving from a terraced house in Adderley Green to a modern house in Weston Coyney with running hot water and a bathroom. His parents thought this was nirvana.  

He found out about the evacuation scheme when a group of evacuees were being walked down the avenue by the billeting officer who was knocking on doors. Click on the link below to hear Gordon speaking about how he came to have evacuees in his street:

Gordon Ellis – cadbury’s fruit and nut

Transcript of Gordon Ellis’s audio clip

As well as seeing Alan with his bar of Cadburys Fruit & Nut, Gordon also remembers when he came running in from the back garden screaming about a ‘monster’ in the back garden. In reality Alan had just had his first encounter with a cow in the field behind Gordon’s house.

Alan’s sister, who was billeted up the road, was unhappy and left Weston Coyney, finding her own way back on the train. Alan, on the other hand, was very happy and stayed. He was welcomed by all members of the Ellis family who missed him after he had left. They remained good friends, and Alan kept in touch with the family until Alan’s death in 1965.