A SANDFORD man wanted to celebrate his recent 90th birthday in a special way - so he climbed the 2,634 ft (803m) of the Old Man of Coniston.

This is Ronald Somerville’s story: In September 1939, home for the school holidays, I listened with my father to Neville Chamberlain on the wireless informing the country that we were now at war with Germany. Soon after, the sirens sounded…it was a false alarm but it was a warning of what was to come.

When I returned to school, this time with my younger brother, we had to prepare for war. We were all issued with gas masks and had to practise putting them on. Our geography master, Mr Tebbit, joined the L.D.V. (Local Defence Volunteers), later to be called the Home Guard.

He paraded with a wooden rifle as there were not then enough real rifles to arm them! We could not quite see how a wooden rifle would deter the Germans!

EVACUATION

By 1940 the British and French troops were trapped on the Dunkirk beaches. We could hear the rumble of planes and bombing and saw the small ships from our side setting forth to save the troops.

Meanwhile, the Government, fearing an invasion, ordered the evacuation of children from the South and East Coasts. My school was evacuated and I recall travelling on a long train journey, through the night, and eventually arriving in Coniston.

It all seemed very strange to a young boy who had lived in and around London. I very quickly settled in and I especially loved the stone walls, the Fells and the sight of a mountain called The Old Man.

Coniston was to be my home, with my brother Michael, for three years. A return home to London was not thought safe because of the bombing.

TO GIVE THANKS

Coniston has always been special for me and I decided I would like to climb the Old Man (803m) again to mark my 90th birthday. It brought back to me the threat of invasion and the amazing privilege we, as a country have, as the only European Country that was not dominated by either Germany or Russia. I was joined in my endeavour by more than 10 members of my family.

My walk was to celebrate peace in our time and also for the many blessings of our country. So this is the reason why I wanted to climb the Old Man again and it was to give thanks for the gift of the many years of peace in Europe.