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On returning to the hut, we divided into two teams. Each team was issued with a trek-cart and ropes, with camping equipment for a week! We were all given jobs-two for equipment, two for catering, two map readers, and so on. I, with my fellow caterer was sent off to the local village to buy provisions. For how long? How much? Should we ever meet another shop, or what? Alison Fox had said that all things were uncertain in relief work, and that of course was what it was all about. We were learning the hard way.
Having securely packed our trek-carts, we were told that we must arrive at a certain place by a certain time, and we set off on our own into the blue. It was now up to the navigators.
One of our trainers (Miss Cobham) was an Alpine climber, and she never allowed us to pause to admire the view and rest, even when we were going up hills. (I must say that we had strict medical tests before setting out on all this!). Miss Stewart Brown was a great disciplinarian, and saw to it that we were always spick and span, that we kept up to time, and organised things well. We never knew from moment to moment what we should have to do next. Emergencies here and there, incredible things to do, and hasty changes of plan. Meals would be cooked and ready, and smelling so good after a long trek when we were ravenous; then we would be whisked away on some errand and we would have to live on that smell for another hour or two! We dared not even look disgruntled for fear of being turned down. This was our one horror!
One night, we were told that when we awoke the next day, we would be in France, and must fine ourselves one penny for every English word spoken. My co-caterer hadn't even learnt French at school, so we were a pair! In the end we survived due to the navigators. Their route took us through Chalfont St Giles, and in the main street was Milton's house. We were allowed to stop and explore this, and were told that it would sound more polite if we spoke English whilst inside. What a relief - we were able to straighten out such a lot - not much Milton I fear! The great thing was that by the end of the day, we found that a great deal of what we thought we had forgotten came back to us, and those of us who stayed another week and spent another day 'in France' found it a great deal easier.
A new lot of trainees arrived for the second week, and amongst them was Alicia. We set off in the same way, but this week was even more hair-raising. The highlight of the whole thing was a very well thought out exercise which lasted a day, and eventually lead us to a windmill near Amersham where we spent the night. The previous night we were in Burnham Woods near Beaconsfield, the home of Lady Burnham, the Commissioner for England. We were told that no tents were to be used - and as the weather looked a little doubtful we set to at once to build ourselves shelters for the night. It did rain, but no-one got wet. Beech leaves make a wonderful thatch, they are so beautifully shiny, and they 'did the trick'
In the morning after a hasty breakfast we were told that the city of Slough had been taken over by the Russians, and we must be prepared to evacuate 10,000
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