Serchlight Party on our Farm

Town dwellers on a Farm in 1943 in Nottinghamshire

When I was about 8 or 9 years old we had a searchlight party on our farm. It was about 1943 and we lived in Nottinghamshire not far from the river Trent. Opposite us over the river was Kneeton aerodrome and at night at about 1 O’clock in the morning the bombers would be flying out on their missions. The noise always woke me up as the vibration of the windows and pictures on the walls made so much noise and it was impossible to sleep through it. In the morning the aircraft came home as soon as it was getting light. Many of these planes were so keen to get to the landing strip and some were in a very sorry state with their wings with great holes in them and engines not sounding as they should, some with only one engine going. Kneeton aerodrome was on high ground and the river in the valley with a steep embankment from the river to the landing strip. I suppose that from the air the land looked level to the pilots as sadly so many planes crashed into the embankment owing to loss of power. It would have been much safer for the pilots if they had landed in the fields the farm side of the river. I used to think that the officers should have informed the pilots of the high embankment, but it seemed that they never learned as it was always happening and many of my school pals went with their fathers to help rescue the airmen. I never went as we were several fields away perhaps a mile or so as the crow fly’s but much further as it meant going to Gunthorpe Bridge to cross the river Trent.

When the searchlight party had been with us for about 3 or 4 months my father had a cow calving and this cow was not making any progress and needed assistance. My father said to me “Get on your bike Margaret and fetch 6 of those big strong lads from the camp to help us here with this cow”.
I duly did as I was told. I rode my bike to the tent where I saw some men or activity of some sort and rode right into the soldier’s latrine. I was ushered out very quickly. I was not aware until much later what the Tent was used for.
“Could some of you chaps come and help my Dad as we have a cow calving and she is in difficulty?” “Sure we would love to come and help” was the reply I got and a dozen or so men who followed my back to the farm buildings. They came into the shed where the cow was laid out straining to push out the calf. These big strapping men asked what my father wanted them to do and they were handed the rope which was attached to the legs of the calf, which were showing. “Hold this rope” my father instructed “and when the cow pains pull the rope with a steady gentle pull” “It will cause damage to both cow and calf if you pull too hard before nature is ready for you to help” So soon the cow had a contraction and pushed to shove the calf into this world the cow let out a shriek at the same time. To my utter amazement some of these men ran out of the shed as fast as they could go and some 6 or so fainted onto the floor in a heap. Only one man kept hold of the rope but he alone was totally incapable of doing any pulling to help the calf out.

Mother saw these men run out of the shed from her kitchen window and so she ran in to find what had happened. On seeing this group of men collapsed in a heap she shouted at my father “ What on earth have you done to these fellows?” “I’ve done nothing to them. They just fainted. Fetch some water to bring the round?” By the time some bucket of water arrived most of these soldiers were outside of the shed saying “What a thing to see, I never thought that was how calves were born – I feel sick – didn’t we ought to fetch the doctor?” The Soldiers by now looked very grey and had lost all the eagerness to help, except one smaller chap and he continued to hold onto the rope. This brave fellow said” Come on in here you soft lot, we still need help?” The cow had by now had several more contractions and my father and the brave one helpful soldier were rubbing the newborn calf with straw and clearing its nose so that it could breath. The cow got up and turned round and started to lick the calf dry. My father called out “Hey, you chaps come on in and have a cup of tea. You did a good job, many thanks for your help”

Mother had by now a teapot full and ready to pour into cups as the fellows walked into the house.

I could not understand why such grown up strong men should act in such a way. What a load of Wally’s most of them were!!!

For a very large part of my life I had a very wrong impression of service personal. It was not until I retired from farming and moved south, to Somerset that I came in contact with many very sensible well balanced military fellows that I realised my impression of the searchlight party was not a true example in any way. I should think that many came from the Town and were new to such matters that have to be attended to on a farm.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.