‘Thank God for Ripley’ says Ray, who was evacuated to Derbyshire town at the outbreak of World War Two
Now 85 and living in the United States, John Raymond Hickling - who is better known as Ray – tells Matthew Lodge of the fondness he still holds for the county and the guardians who took him in during the conflict
AMAN who was evacuated to a Derbyshire town during the Second World War has relieved the moment his mother waved him off in tears. John Raymond Hickling, known as Ray, was moved from Southendon-Sea to Ripley after the outbreak of the war.
Ray still has fond memories of the town and often thinks back to the kindness shown to him and his brothers, Ralph and Derrick, when they moved up.
And even though the 85-year-old now lives in New Jersey in the USA, that hasn’t stopped him thanking the town for the support it gave his family when they needed it the most.
In a letter titled “Hello Ripley”, the former Merchant Navyman recalls the emotional farewell to his mother when he left for Ripley when he was just five years old.
“I remember the buses outside the school,” he said.
“All the mothers were standing outside, most were in tears crying. My mother was also that way.
“I was told by my brother Ralph that I was going on holiday.”
The three boys made the long journey up by train, first stopping in London, before catching a service to Derbyshire.
“On the way there we passed a coal mine - none of us had ever seen one before,” he said.
“All the kids rushed to the other side of the train and I thought it was going to tip over.”
After the six-hour journey north, Ray and his brothers were picked up by their new guardians at the station, who took them to their house on a hill in the town.
“A lady called Alberta and her father took good care of us,” Ray said.
“One day in the winter I looked out the window and saw three elephants in the field - I’d never seen them before and a travelling circus was in town.”
Ray and Ralph were soon split up from their brother, and moved in
with a Mr and Mrs Marshal, who also lived on the hill.
“My mum told Derrick to take good care of us, but I guess he forgot,” Ray said.
“The Marshals were very nice and took good care of us.
“They had two daughters, one of whom loved to dance.
“One morning I woke up with bad blisters on my feet and Mrs Marshal told me to put my feet in the pee pot under the bed.
“I cried as I didn’t want to put them in the pee, but after I did it my feet were wrapped in towels and the blisters had gone the next day.”
However, Ray’s time in Ripley nearly came to a premature end when he almost drowned in a nearby reservoir.
“My brother Ralph pulled me out of the water by my hair,” he said.
“We told everybody I was saved by a boy from Derby called Charlie Meadows because he had messed up his Sunday clothes and his foster mother would have beaten him.
“Sorry to give you up Charlie!” ” Following this near-death experience Ray’s mother took him back to Southend while the e war was still raging.
“My mother was so happy,” he said.
“I guess we came back too soon though - we could hear the V1 rockets passing over our house.”
Despite his time in Derbyshire being cut short, Ray is still immensely grateful for his time here.
“Thank God for Ripley,” he said.
“I believe Ripley should get a medal or some kind of citation for taking in all the evacuees.
“All the best Ripley, I’ll see you in my dreams.”