Danny Benjamin recounts some of his experiences as a London evacuee during World War II, when he was taken south to East Sussex.

I was eight when I was evacuated with my brother, who was thirteen, and my sister, who was ten. The first ordeal was having to walk a mile with my suitcase. I remember how my brother helped me. It was decided to keep us together with members of my brother's school, Tooting Bec.

To ensure that we were healthy enough for the move, we arrived one morning at the school's sports field, carrying our luggage. My dear Father, trying so hard to keep our spirits high, drew on my little suitcase -- M.P. And then inside 'mince pie' we were to walk around the track, four times, a mile.

A motley crew we must have looked. Wearing our overcoats,with luggage labels, pinned to our chests, with our identification.At the end of our trek my brother was carrying all our luggage,and our coats. He was taking his responsibility very seriously indeed.

A week later we were on our way. First we went to Chaileyin Sussex, where we stood in lines, with large luggage labels worn on our chests. Nobody wanted a family of three. Everyone wanted to take just my sister. We waited, and then waited some more. Finally,a busy, skinny lady of no more than twenty came into the ticket office where we were waiting and took all of us,six boys and my sister.

A liveried chauffeur took our luggage to a grand RollsRoyce, and we were amazed to be taken to our new home, in this prestige motorcar. We were taken to a very large Estateowned by a very important Archbishop, Archbishop Temple.I remember thinking he was the Archbishop of York. I didn'tknow much about such folk at eight. (I still don't).

He was an important member of the Church of England, whohad two children, a boy and a girl. I remember playing with them for several days.

I now believe that this is my earliest recollection of anti-Semitism, for when it was discovered we were Jewish,we weren't allowed to play with them anymore.

My brother put his foot in it, at our first meal, when he interrupted the poor man in his own home whilst saying grace before our meal and telling him very firmly that we were Jewish! For the remainder of our stay we had our meals in a glass outhouse.

We stayed with His Grace for just six weeks. The local schools were too small to accommodate us all, so we all moved to a larger town, Lewes, where we were separated.My brother went to a small Estate on the outskirts. My sisterand I were on opposite sides of the street in an area, I believe, was called 'The Wells'.

I stayed with a lovely family, the Tapins. Mr. Tappin had an Electrical Shop nearby. His main business at that time was selling second hand electrical equipment and charging accumulators, which were needed in most radios.

Across the road was a large church. I became a member ofits congregation and then a choirboy. I was paid five shillings a year for my efforts (25p). I remember a very wise Mr Tappin telling me how important religion is. I remained a happy family member of the Tappins for two years.

We cycled everywhere and one event worth recalling tookplace one Sunday. Five of us decided to visit my Grandparents,who lived in Brighton. When we were nearing Brighton, the Air Raid Warning sounded, and then we heard the bombers.

We threw our cycles down, climbed through a hedge and ran into a field. At the edge of the field was the River Ouse.A German bomber, obviously in dire trouble, was flying right at us. In films people throw themselves on the ground, or with even more sense, they flee in all directions!

We to a body, stood transfixed to the spot. The plane was coming right at us, so slowly. The pilot could no doubt see us clearly. For surely enough we could see him clearly.His final desperate action was to pull his plane sharplyto the right causing his right wing to strike the ground and his plane to crash, no doubt killing the entire crew.

We couldn't reach the plane as it was now in flames inthe river. We ran for our lives expecting explosions. Quite simply, he had given his life and that of his crew to save us!!! Yet he was carrying bombs to kill us. If anyone can make sense of war.. please explain it to me.

Dan Benjamin, Middlesex, 2002