Billet in Bridge Street

One day in 1939 Herbert Creswell met his friend Colonel McCartney in Kington. It appeared that the
Colonel was then looking for a suitable Army Camp site for he came to Kington again with other
officials and later it was learned that the Army had requisitioned land in the Hergest area. The
building of the Camp (including hospitals) was carried out by Wimpeys. Neat rows of huts were
constructed and there were well-appointed flower beds in between the cement paths; these soon to be
patrolled by "well-polished" sentries.

In the Spring of 1940 there was a knock on the door of 16, Bridge Street, Kington, the home of
Herbert and Esther Creswell. Two Army Officers introduced themselves and said "We are looking for
some private billets for a bunch of soldiers who have been involved in the Dunkirk evacuation. They
have had a hell of a rough ride Our orders are NOT to post them to Hergest Camp, because they are
in no fit state for a "REGIMENTED" life. They are in dire need of some good home-cooking, some
clean beds, and a lot of understanding and sympathy. Some of them are at the end of their tether.
They are war-worn and very weary. Some of them them have badly shattered nerves. They have been in
open boats for days, some have been floundering in water for hours. So please will you help ?"

There were already five evacuee girls from Bootle in the house at that time, but it was agreed that
twenty of the soldiers could sleep in a large loft at the rear of the house, and eat their meals in
the house. From then on, life for the Creswell's was hectic. Firstly there ensued a frantic search
throughout the town, for unused beds and bedding. Everyone was only too eager to help. So after the
loft floor had been thoroughly scrubbed and the walls given a coat of "Sunshine" distemper, the
beds were installed and made up. Any rugs or pieces of carpet that could be 'snaffled' were
'snaffled'. These helped to remove some of the 'barrack-like' appearance given by the twenty beds!
Some of these were iron, some were brass but at least all boasted patterned bed-spreads, which,
later, were to cause more than a little amusement to those poor war-weary lads. Thus it was, that
on a sunny Wednesday afternoon, those sorry, loosing bunch of lads arrived at Kington station, and
marched up Victoria Road some to houses, some to the Hergest Camp Hospital, and twenty to 16 Bridge
Street. Very few of them had any uniform left. Some were even clad in ladies' underwear, some could
barely walk with fatigue and shock. They were Warwickshire lads - some attached to the 'Royal Army
Medical Corps', some to the 'Ghurka Rifle Brigade'. But all were most appreciative of the 'Home
Cooking' and 'Clean Beds'. When they returned to as near normal as they could be (knowing they
would eventually be re-posted overseas) they proved to be most helpful and very high-spirited.

They organised their own 'Duty Rota' - made their beds, cleaned the floor and windows and did 'Spud
Bashing' rotas. They became part of the Cresswell household. They ate with the Family, and child
evacuees, and helped with the mountains of washing-up. One tiny piece of evidence of their amazing
high-spirits - Esther Cresswell, returning one evening from the cinema opposite, found, to her
embarrassment, a Ward of Honour' right across the street. Twenty 'Fixed Bayonets' each one
brandishing an empty baked bean can. The noise of the cans, the lads, and the bemused onlookers was
deafening! Some of these boys had not seen their wives for two years so a couple of them were
squeezed into the house, which had now reached 'Bulging-point'. (One remained for four years).
Eventually those twenty brave lads were posted to Hergest Camp, to re-join their comrades, and
later, sent back overseas, where many of them gave their lives, as we heard from their families.
So, all the Cresswell Family have left to remind them of those twenty brave lads is a chiming
clock, inscribed by Them.

As a point of interest, there are still, in Kington, some soldiers who were stationed at Hergest
Camp. They stayed behind and married local girls, who can be named. As a further point of interest
- Herbert Cresswell, at some point during the war, befriended one "Private Johnnie Iddons", who was
stationed at the Camp. He took him home to supper, the Family liked him, and he became a frequent
visitor. He helped with various chores, and was an admirable 'Baby-sitter'. One morning Johnnie
rushed into the house to say his 'farewells'. He said that his Mother was critically ill, so he had
acquired 'compassionate leave'. In less than half an hour, an armoured-car arrived, bearing an
officer and two military police-men who were armed. They were looking for Private Iddons whom, they
said, was a notorious thief. He had many offences against him, the most recent one being Mr. Lock's
Grocery Shop in Hatton Gardens, on the previous evening. (He had been a wanted man for several
years and had joined the army under an 'asumed' name. The Cresswells never heard of him again, nor
knew whether he was ever caught. They only knew that, although he had been alone in their home many
times, he had never robbed them. So, it only goes to show that "there is BAD in the BEST of us, and
GOOD in the WORST of us". An intriguing post-script - Private Johnnie Iddons had frequently given
his ration of chocolate bars to the Cresswell's younger children. But then he had removed Mr.
Lock's entire stock of chocolate. (To atone for his lost 'rations', would you say?).