A Trip to Remember

My Grandad (George Morton snr) Moved from the borders of Scotland to Norfolk at the beginning of the Second World War. He had travelled down by train to Norfolk before the war to buy a farm at auction for the pricely sum of £7100.00. His second trip to the new farm was via road & was to bring his family to their new home. Due to the lack of road signs they became lost nr Kings Lynn & so decided to stop and ask for directions in a small rural village. Having asked what my Grandad thought was a simple question regarding directions, he was astounded to be surrounded and told to put his hands on his head. After much persuasion he was later allowed to remove his hands & set off again towards his new home. It appears that because of his unfamiliar scottish accent the locals from this fenland village thought he was speaking German & therefore a spy !
Upon reaching the new Farmhouse in north Norfolk they were met at the gate by uniformed soldiers of the home guard. The soldiers advised that no one was to pass as they had established the farmhouse as they local HQ. My grandad explined that he was the new owner of the farmhouse & had just travelled down from the Scottish Borders that day to settle into his new home. A comprimise was reached & both my Grandad,his family and the soldiers of the home guard shared the house for the 2 months that followed. To this day there are still pieces of tin on the farmhouse cellar walls depicting various radio codes of that time. My Grandad (Papa) lived to the ripe old age of 102 & throughout his life in Norfolk people outside the family would find it very difficult to understand him !

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