Past Pupils

Peter Taylor (1947)

Now residing at Victor Harbour, South Australia.

In WW2 most of the young farm workers entered the armed services and were replaced by an able body of women called the Land Army. There was another group who also did their bit in the Dig for Victory battle, namely the Upper School of TGS.

Forty or so pupils above the age of 14 years were granted work permits by the Ministry so that they could assist with the Summer harvest. The work force was supported by six third form pupils who were not old enough to obtain the necessary permits. These lads accompanied the group as kitchen hands under the guiding eye of the chef, one ‘Chic’ Moorey the history and rugby master.

On the appointed day in August 1944, armed with a variety of suitcases and kit bags we presented ourselves at Finsbury Park Railway Station en route to Baldock in Hertfordshire. Kitchen hands were required to bring a bicycle.

On our arrival at a field on the edge of Baldock we sighted lines of army bell tents which were to by our homes for the next fourteen days Conditions were more than sparse. Hygiene was in the form of a bin behind a hessian screen and its cleanliness was the responsibility of the third formers. Baths were available but made of tin and contained only cold water. The dining area consisted of benches and trestle tables beneath a canvas awning.

Kitchen hands were first up and last to bed. Breakfast each day began with porridge. It had a rare bitter twang for the taste buds with a smoky bouquet for the nostrils and eye catching black flecks which most diners thought was the burnt stuff from the bottom of the pan. Mainly the food was very good. I remember one dinner when ‘Chic’ Moorey prepared stuffed marrows so large that only two would fit into the camp oven.

After breakfast it was all go. Washing up, cut sandwiches for the workers lunches, prepare the vegetable for the evening meal. Clean the so called toilets. To get away from the chores there was always the cycle ride into Stevenage to collect more vegetable for the next day. I recall clearly freewheeling down the hill laden with string bags of onions when a bag burst. The onions beat me to the bottom of the hill.

Even though it rained and our tents were flooded out, we fed the workers who got the harvest in. We must have done our bit for the war effort because the war ended the following year.

Peter Taylor (One of Harry Wright’s fifth form)