EXTRACTS FROM THE SCHOOL LOG BOOK 1940-1945
1940, January – There is severe winter weather with ice and snow on the roads and it is very dangerous for the children to be out. Super-cooled rain froze on the trees and grass as it fell. A very weird sight which I have never seen in these parts during living memory. Single grass blades are upright and as thick as hazel twigs. Large boughs are down off fir, pine and silver birch trees.
31st January – Only 12 arrived at school. There is no light or heat in the village and electric cables are snapped. There was no registration due to the inclement weather.
27th June – School closed in order to receive a billet of 45 boys from Newton Junior Boys School from Gosport.
2nd December – This afternoon we were warned that the school would be required as a sleeping centre for the Southampton refugees. At 3.40pm. all the classes hurriedly put away all apparatus, books etc; in readiness for the sleepers. (Southampton Blitz).
1941, 21st & 22nd June – The village has had a very bad time this weekend. There has been 39 houses destroyed by land mines and many of the scholars are homeless. No fatal casualties, but a few serious and one very grave.
1944, 19th-26th June – Wings for Victory Week and the scholars have set themselves a target of £35 to give a parachute to the Royal Air Force and a savings target of £45. 28th June – £120 was raised, we will send three parachutes. The savings target reached £350, making £450 raised by the scholars.
1945, May – VE celebrations in the school playground.
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A large group of pupils and parents in the school grounds on VE day (Victory in Europe, 8th May, 1945).