I am writing to you to take this opportunity to thank you for your publication of the article in respect of our project to try to trace those people from your circulation area who were evacuated to our town during the 1939/45 war.

As a direct result of your publication of our article, we have had a wonderful response especially given the passage of time. It is now nearly 51 years since these events took place.

I have received many letters, not only from people in Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park but also from people who now live in Wallington, Ilford, Billericay, Yetminster in Dorset, Peacehaven in East Sussex, Midhurst in West Sussex and even one from a lady in a town called Denmark in Western Australia.

I have answered all these letters, some have also sent me follow up letters and photographs, and in some cases I have sent photographs and street maps of the area in which they stayed.

Most of the people who wrote to me gave me details of their actual evacuation procedure, how they were assembled at school and the train journey, and the warm reception they were given when they eventually arrived in our town after such a long and arduous journey and what must have been a very traumatic experience for children of such a tender age.

One lady wrote to say that she is a member of the Evacuees Reunion Association and in 1998 attended the evacuees reunion service held in Westminster Abbey. She passed on to me the address of the Evacuees Reunion Association and I am pleased to be able to report that our society has now joined the association.

I would be very happy if you would publish this letter as a general thank you to all who have been so kind in writing to me.

NEVILLE MORTON

Mossley Civic Society