Lowick and District’s Response to the Belgian Refugees 1914 – 1915 - part 5

 This is a continuation of the Lowick and District’s Response to the Belgian Refugees 1914 – 1915 - part 4.
Alternatively, see all the previous parts of the Lowick and District’s Response to the Belgian Refugees 1914 – 1915, together.

It was performed as a "radio play" in Berwick Guildhall on 25 April 2015 at Discover Berwick’s First World War Story. Researched and written by Julie Gibbs.

Mr Boal     
I am now going on to Cheswick to visit a family there, under Mrs Crossman’s charge. I won’t be long.
(........)

Partial Transcript of Belgian children admitted to Cheswick School, 9 November 1914

Mr Boal    
I am back and I am pleased to report that they were very cheerful considering all they had gone through, and one could not fail to be impressed by the brightness of the three young children.

The youngest – a little boy of 2½ was playing with a box of bricks on the floor. Their father told us, that they had twice left Mechelen (Malines, Belgium) and gone back. The last time they went back was a fortnight after the first occupation, and they expected the Germans had gone for good. They had got nicely settled down in their house, which was undamaged, and a day or two later had just got dinner ready when some Belgian soldiers rode down the street, and running out, he learned that the Germans were close upon them. Leaving their dinner uneaten, and without time to gather up any of their belongings, they rushed straight off, and were continually on the march for six hours.

What that meant to the mothers and the young children, you can imagine.

A neighbour got out his horse and trap, loaded it with such of his goods as it would carry, and was just leaving with his wife and family when a German shell struck their trap, and all perished.

I’ll take my leave now.

Narrator    
Thank you Mr Boal. That was most helpful.