Over the past weeks the Ross Gazette has published a few of the memories of a farming childhood in Foy recorded by Martha Ann Colman. This week she recalls wartime in the country hamlet.

Thankfully, Martha said that the impact of the war on Foy was minimal. Farmers were encouraged to produce as many crops as possible and her step-brother, John, remembers the grassland of the river meadows was ploughed up, in an effort to grow more grain crops.

As most of the able-bodied men were away on war duty, the Government sometimes sent Landgirls to assist in agricultural production work.

During the war years a grain dryer was installed in the other granary building and a hole had to be cut in the granary floor to assist in the installation of the large machinery.

John says the prisoners of war, who worked on the farm at the time, assisted with the installation.

During the war years about seven or eight prisoners of war would be transported to work on the farm each week.

One remained following the end of the war, as he married an English girl.

Her step-father use to drive the Italian prisoners to the local Catholic Church for services.

John was a member of the local Home Guard, who had their headquarters in the garage of Foy Vicarage. There were twenty local Home Guard troops and two of them were supposed to be on night duty down by the small river foot-bridge.

One night the two on guard thought they heard footsteps crossing the bridge in the darkness and whispered to each other that it may be the Germans arriving, but thankfully it proved to be only a fox trotting across.

On one other occasion an unexpected visitor arrived in a car at the Hole-in-the-WaIl end of the bridge. One of the Home Guard men on duty that night strolled casually up to the visitor and was barked at by the visitor saying to him, 'Stand to attention when you are speaking to an Officer'.

The Officer was not impressed when he questioned the man as to his duties and he replied 'Kill Germans'.

Martha's step-father was actively involved in the Ross and District Council and she believes that he also acted as a surveyor/inspector on behalf of the War Agricultural Ministry.

Down by the granary building used for grain drying was an intriguing small building with a chimney. It looked like a small, quaint old house.

Each year a Mr Sawkins, who normally lived in Ross, would come and spend a few weeks in this little 'house'. He arrived to assist with the hoeing work. With so many acres to cover the extra help was needed. He was supplied from the farmhouse with milk, bread, eggs, bacon, etc. and seemed to enjoy his yearly visits.

It is intriguing that the present occupier of Ingestone, Lt Col Sharp, composed the theme music for the 'Dad's Army' series.