This article was written in 2002 by Rosemary Stockdale and was based on ‘Memories of Wies and Zen Rogalski’
An account of life in the camp for the Polish community as remembered by Wies (born 1950 in St Luke’s Hospital Guildford) and Zen (born 1948 in Diddington Camp Polish Army Hospital, St Neots) Rogalski who were children at the time. They were motivated by Thursley History Society (Norman Ratcliffe) to put pen to paper so that this part of Thursley’s history was not forgotten by future generations. This article attempts to share with Thursley villagers how our Polish neighbours made this their home, their facilities in the Camp and their day to day activities with many settling locally after the camp closed in 1957.
Their father in the camp in 1948
There were three types of buildings in the Camp:
Wooden Barracks – homes for the Polish families – built on concrete foundations that can still be seen with pressure treated clad softwood walls and doors and Crittal windows. For insulation they were lined with 12mm fibreboard and the roof with thick felt tiles. The Rogalski’s lived at No 39. Three were three rooms to accommodate the family. There were no modern day facilities no running water, no power for a cooker, no sink, no gas. Cooking was done on a ‘Primus’ stove until in 1953 a a coal fire was acquired which was used for cooking and heating. The camp had a communal bath and shower complex which also housed large white enamelled sinks for washing clothes (washboards and mangles). On washdays this was a meeting place – with laughter, exchange of stories and friendly gossip. Lavatories were situated separately in latrines.
Brick built outhouses – most permanent with boilers and electric transformer.
Nissen Huts – tunnel shaped structures of galvanised corrugated sheet steel – these were used as simple and secure workshops
Much creativity was used by Mrs Rogalski to provide basic necessities of life – clothes were handmade, vegetables were grown in their own garden, plus deliveries from the local grocer and hardware merchant, Mr Karn, from his store in Thursley inc fresh bread, butter, cheese. She also kept chickens and geese for fresh meat and eggs plus down for pillows and quilts. A favourite activity was picking wild mushrooms from the woods which ere then dried to season soups and other dishes
For other items there was the occasional adventure on the number 24 bus into Guildford. The Camp was a safe fun place for the children to play and with increasing numbers of children in the mid 50s there were many friends and playmates. There was a real sense of solidarity and social cohesion in the camp that made their childhood idyllic and trouble free.
Earning a living - having been demobilised from the forces the mot important issue was how to eke out a living and were to settle permanently. They could not go back to their home district as this was no longer in Poland but in USSR. The decision was England, but the two problems were language and lack of training as thy were too young before the war to have had any professional education. There were no doctors, solicitors or dentists in the camp as any such qualified professionals had settled in London and the Tweedsmuir community had to turn to them when specialist help was required. The Godalski’s did just that when buying a London home in 1957. For the inhabitants of Tweedsmuir finding employment was a tightly controlled process operated by British authorities – issued with a Certificate of Registration.
The mother sought worked at Secretts Farm in June 1952. Many people in the camp were employed in engineering, building and agriculture. Most ‘engineers’ were employed by Dennis, Guildford. Mr Grodalski was employed by Nutbourne Brickworks Ltd, construction of houses in Godalming. 1948 to 1952 Mrs Grodalski stayed at home to bring up the two children and then as a land girl at Secretts Farm, crop picking. Secretts organised an annual works outing for its workers – one year it was a trip to London to the pantomime. In this way the family earned the monies to provide the family with the requirements of life.
A Corpus Cristi procession and a celebration of Holy Communion
Tweedsmuir inhabitants were isolated both physically and socially from the English community and the children were immersed solely into Polish culture and custom until they were of school age and were enrolled in ‘Elstead Junior Mixed and Infants School. Culture in the camp revolved around chapel, community centre and kindergarten – each of which was in converted barracks. The chapel had 3 sections – altar, vestry and nave with a small organ at the back. The Polish priest and spiritual leader was Father Bystry.
Here is another write up of life in Tweedsmuir: