Phyllis Wells – “a small boy aged seven who spoke only German”

In July 1939 there appeared in our house in Kilmarnock a small boy aged seven who spoke only German. My sister recalls that he travelled alone from London with a label in his buttonhole and was picked up at the railway station, probably by my mother. She was Sybil White, husband Andrew White.

I was one of three sisters still in the family home. Elder sister and brother had moved on. My father spoke German and may have had some converstion with Leo, but appeared to him a rather strict and foridding figure. Elder sister was at Edinburgh University and doing Modern Languages and spoke German to him when visiting, but he soon forgot it all.

Leo was a bright intelligent mischievous child, eager to learn and play and attended the local Academy right away. He has since told me that he believes he spoke not at all for a fortnight and then spoke English! He fitted in with us very well and we all loved him.

We are not sure of the date, but he left us, at his mother's request, to join two siblings at a home for German refugee children at Skelmorlie on the Ayrshire coast. Whether that was at about Easter 1940 or 41 or 42, we can't recall. We were sorry to part with him and lost contact.

However, in 2004, he advertised in the local paper for information about the White family and this was passed to me. I immediately phoned him in Hamilton and we have been in touch ever since. My sister has met up with him again. All those years ago, she shared a room and she remembers him very well.

Phyllis Wells
Edinburgh