My parents, together with their eight children aged from 16 years to 18 months old were deported to Germany in September, 1942. We were part of a batch of just over 600 who were first of all sent to a camp in Northern Germany outside of Dorsten, a small town on the Dortmund - Ems canal.
We were there for six weeks, with our nights constantly interrupted by Appels (roll calls) and air raid warnings. We did not receive any Red Cross parcels during this time and therefore existed on the very meagre rations issued to us. These were one seventh of a loaf of bread, a small piece of margarine, a spoonful of jam made from sugar beet pulp and a bowl of watery soup containing, swede, potato and a few turnip tops or cabbage leaves.
We were then transported down the Rhine Valley to Biberach, where we remained until June 1945.
After the war, I spent a short time in Jersey, then relocated to England and, finally, to New Zealand.
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