MEMORIES OF ASHTEAD IN WORLD WAR TWO - BOOK REVIEW BY ANNE FRASER

'Nothing is ever really lost to us as long as we remember it.' ¹ This is the story of the small Surrey village of Ashtead during World War II. Oral histories, letters, photographs and documentary evidence flesh out the effects of conflict during this dark period of history. 

Time marches on, and the recording of first-hand accounts through the eyes of those who were children at the time is invaluable. Thankfully, the authors have painstakingly collected interviews and documentation over the last five years to ensure that these memories don’t stay silent. The book is thoughtfully collated and clearly divided into sections for different aspects of life at the time.  The first section concerns the start of the war and the narrative  moves on through areas such as food, military service and visiting Canadian troops, before coming  to the end of the war and … bananas!

Our senses are invoked. One witness recalls the terror of an eerie silence when the roaring engine of a V1 Flying Bomb would suddenly cut out. You soon learned what that meant. Later, there are photographs of homes in Gaywood Road after a direct hit from a landmine. The fronts of the houses give no clue but if you look beyond at the next image, you will see the terrible destruction that would devastate lives and change families forever.

What comes across is the resilience and resourcefulness of the inhabitants.  A recipe for a pie using economical ingredients is detailed. I can almost believe it tasted delicious! Entertainment took minds from troubles. This included sporting activities such as cricket at the City of London and Freemen’s School and never mind the small matter of sheep droppings on the pitch! While times were often harrowing, there is a lovely current of humour running through the book as people recall friendships and family life with great fondness.

The chapter on war brides is poignant but life-affirming. The young bride, Marjorie Ashwood aged 19 and a barmaid at the Leg of Mutton and Cauliflower, married her Canadian sweetheart, Andy Stewart in 1942. They set up home in Montreal before returning to Ashtead in 1947. The wedding photo shows a happy couple with the bride in white and carrying a beautiful bouquet.

Documentary evidence is fascinating and gives further figures and statistics to accompany the stories. The appendices at the end of the book list categories such as military service as well as air raid warnings, of which there were 30 in the first week of October 1940 alone. There is also a long list of contributors, and it must have been a real joy to listen as they recalled the events of over 70 years ago.

The authors have successfully managed to pull all of these resources into a coherent, lively, comprehensive testament to the lives of people concerned, their sense of community and their bravery at this most challenging of times.

Copies of Memories of Ashtead in World War 2 are currently available from Barton's Bookshop, Leatherhead and the following outlets in Ashtead: Michael Everett Estate Agents, The Street; Bumbles, The Street; Post Office, The Street and Post Office, Barnett Wood Lane. Also from the Wishing Well in Great Bookham. Additional copies can also be supplied by directly contacting John Rowley, chairman of the L&DLHS, and will be among the many publications on sale at the Leatherhead Museum in Hampton Cottage when it reopens next spring after refurbishment.

¹Lucy Montgomery The Story Girl (Quiet Vision Pub. 2000. First published 1911)

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