The Autumn of 1940

Jean was a 5 year old who lived in Hastings, England. As the youngest of 6, she coped with hardships, but her childhood was happy and fun-filled.

Summer was over and Germany had invaded France. Officials had ordered all children to leave coastal towns of England.

When Jean arrived at the hectic train station, a tall man snatched Jean away from her mum. He proudly wore a British arm band, and mud-stained rubber boots. Jean tugged at the mans fingers around her wrist, but his grip was too strong. She screamed for her mother.

"Leave her! Please!" said Kath, who was behind Dora.

"I don't want to go!" said Jean.

“Luv, I want to make sure your name is in your coat. 'Jean Waters' that's your name." Kath said with a smile. "Look, you have the postcard with a stamp on it? Right then!" She nervously kissed Jean on her tear soaked face, but pretended to stay calm.

Dora held back her tears. "Listen my girl, brighten up! Be a brave girl for mummy. I'm sure he’ll have a sweet for you? Go on now.” She hugged her tight, but the man was already pulling on Jeans arm.

The official took Jean, still screaming and crying. Dora and Kath could do nothing, but hear her crying out their names.The lump that started to form in Dora's throat was now stinging in the back of her eyes. She had been brave for Jean, but now the emotions she felt had to be released.

Jean arrived in a local village with the volunteers and many children to be placed with foster families. Jean was picked by an elderly couple who lived in Glasgow, Scotland.

The Campbell's took Jeans hand to get the train, but she pushed them away. All she did was continually rub her eyes and yawn. She had tried to stay awake by looking out the train window, but the trains constant motion eventually put her to sleep.

Jean finally awoke and Mr. Campbell picked her chin up with his hand and said, "Lassie, why are ye still crying?"

"I want to go home." Jean sobbed.

"Lass, we be getting hame soon, and then ye be having food. Will ye like that?" Mrs. Campbell sat beside her.

"Yes, thank you." Jean sniffed, but she still wanted her Mum.

"Now then, the 'Blue Train', she's almost here in Glescae!" He exclaimed, looking out the window.

The train finally stopped. Jean was still upset, but Mr. Campbell picked her up, over his shoulder. She started feeling a bit better, yet trembled too.

"Still hungry lass?" Mr. Campbell asked.

"Yes, Sir."

Suddenly, she saw a strange look in Mr. Campbell's eyes. He said, "Lass, we came a long voyage, now ye ours. Please call us Faither and Mither."

"I have a Mummy and Daddy!" stamping her feet.

Mrs. Campbell wryly grinned, and said, “Now you have two”.

Jean was too tired to understand this. They were being so helpful on the train? Why were they thinking she was their daughter? She missed home.

The bus arrived, and twenty minutes later they were home. Mrs. Campbell brought her inside and said, "Would you like some eggs and fried bread lassie?"

"Yes, please!" answered Jean.

"When you're all through go to your room Jimmy. It's getting late!" Mrs. Campbell said in a trancelike state.

"I'm not Jimmy?!" Jean said shaking.

Mr. Campbell was directly behind his wife and heard what she said, "Lass, eat your eggs and go to your room, now!"

"Yea, yea,yes.." Jean sobbed again.

"Stop your sniffling! Mrs. Campbell didn't mean to call you Jimmy! Now finish up!"

Jean rushed through supper, and Mr. Campbell spoke silently with his wife. Jean didn't know what was wrong with her?

"Lass, ye our daughter, we deserve to be called Mam and Pa, we saved ye from the bombs!" Mr. Campbell yelled.

"No!" Jean screamed back.

"You best watch yourself lass, I’m not getting paid to take care of a wee devil.”

From that moment on she knew she had to run. "Why were they nice at first? What's wrong?” thought Jean.

They dragged her upstairs and said, "Since you're not being friendly to us, you'll stay in your room. After you wake up, maybe you'll think again bairn!"

"You're not my Mummy and Daddy!" Over and over she cried, no one listened. Finally she looked around. This was a large closet with a cot and a window! Jean held her dolly and cried.

Jean didn't go to sleep. She was determined to stay in her coat, it identified her. She looked out the window, the roof was straw, she could slide down. Quietly she tried opening the window, it was old and stiff, but it budged. She grabbed her dolly, and suitcase.

Carefully she climbed onto the ledge. Fearful of falling, she put it behind her. This wasn't her home. She slide down, landing right on her bottom. Nothing would stop her. Jean got up, and ran without looking back.

Suddenly she felt a tug on her coat. "Let me go!" she screamed. Jean didn't know Mr. Campbell was up before the sun, he wasn't about to let go of his meal ticket.

"You'll stay here, BONNIE LASSIE, until I say, but you'll learn a lesson ye never will forget" with arms wailing at his face, he pulled her like a rag doll. "Now bend over!"

"No, NO!" Tears began welling up.

"Bend over or I'll thrash you till you bleed!" Jean was hysterically crying. She bent over and Mr. Campbell took a switch, and whipped her twice. "Now bairn, once for disobeying, and twice for running, next time will be worse. Run to your room and remember who we are!"

Jean remembered who they were: mean, old and hateful people. The man who made her call him 'faither' worked her on his farm as if she were a boy. The woman she had to call 'mither' dressed Jean as her son. Jimmy had died a long time ago and they couldn't let go of him.

The woman never brushed her hair, or even gave her a bath. She was dirty & nearly starving.

The beatings were continuous. Jean would cry herself to sleep saying, "Kath, you promised, why?!"

One day she found the postcard in her coat with a stamp on it! Her address was already on it and all she had to do was put the Campbell's return address on. She kept watching for Mrs. Campbell, this was the time when she fed the chickens. Jean ran to the back of the house to make sure Mr. Campbell was milking the cows. He was, but the postcard had to be short, she had one chance:

"dear kath-

please get me. everything is not fine. I am being beaten! please?

love jean"

The postman was due at 10 am. The Campbell's could not see her by the postbox.

"Good Morning Bonnie Lass,” he said

"Good Morning, Mr. White". She said "Mr. White, I forgot, the officials told us to send this off to our homes and I forgot, it's so late now."

"Ah las, I'll take care of the postcard, for ye."

"Thank you Mr. White!" Jean smiled.

"Don't you worry now. Have a good day!" with that he gave her a wave.

Months went by and no news came from England. One night they were all sitting down eating supper, Mr. Campbell never allowed talking and Jean was only allowed minimal portions. Suddenly, a knock was heard.

"Who's that during my supper time Mrs.Campbell?!"

"I don't know? Would you like me to see?" he nodded stuffing his mouth. Mrs. Campbell got up from the table, slowly walking to the front door. Jean wasn't even paying attention.

"May I help ye?" Mrs. Campbell asked.

"My name is Miss Kathleen Waters, I'm here for my sister. I'm not leaving without her!" Jean heard her sisters voice and jumped from the table, knocking her chair down. Mr. Campbell jumped up, tripping over the chair.

"Kath! You came!" Jean jumped right into her arms.

"Darling! My luv, how couldn't I after I got your post!" Kath said while kissing her face.

"Here, here, you can't take this lass! She's mine!" He said.

"No! She's not yours! She's my sister! I won't leave without her on my arm!

"Jean bend over." Jean was more than happy to bend over.

"What are those scars Mr. Campbell? You bastard! How dare you strike a 5 year old! I've contacted the local police and officials. You're cut off, no more money! You lied, saying you've never had foster children! You're an abuser! You both disgust me." Kath spat out.

"Come on my luv! Get your coat, suitcase and dolly, we're going home. No one will ever put a scar on you again."