Most Frightening Experience of WWII - A Donkey in Wiltshire

My father, James (Jim) Newland was called up during WWII, and because of health problems he was placed in the London Home Guard. He worked through the blitz, often helping with the badly injured and homeless while bombs were still dropping. However, he used to tell us that his most frightening incident of the war happened when he was on leave with my mother and my three older sisters, who had been evacuated to the tiny village of Wilcot, Wiltshire.

He had walked about a mile in the blackout to the nearest pub, drank a couple of pints, and commenced the walk back. He hadn't gone far along the pitch dark country lane leading home before he heard footsteps behind him, sounding like at least two people. He waited to see if they would catch up with him, but the footsteps stopped. He walked on, they walked on, about ten yards behind him, but impossible to see. Again he stopped, and they stopped. He ran a little, and they ran behind him. Terrified of what he thought might be 5th Columnists or German paratroopers he eventually reached the door of the family's thatched cottage, rushed in, and bolted the door. No sound came from outside. Unable to contain himself, he called my mother, and together they peered out of the closed curtains, and there, standing in front of the door, was a large donkey! The creature had got out of his field, and for some reason had followed my father home.

I was born five years after the event, but remember hearing the story as one of my earliest childhood memories.....

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