War evacuee's emotional Radnorshire return after 80 years

Les Nabb was just nine when he was relocated to Radnorshire along with younger brother Sid, then six, during the bombing of Liverpool as World War II broke out in September, 1939.

Outside London, Liverpool was the most heavily bombed area of the UK during the war and suffered the second-highest amount of casualties, with around 4,000 people killed during heavy shelling from August 1940 to January 1942.

Les, now 90, and Sid were two of almost 9,000 children, parents and teachers moved from Merseyside to quieter parts of Britain during this period, smuggled to rural parts of the UK in order to keep them safe. This was due to the fact that Liverpool’s famed ports were of significant importance to the nation’s war effort.

Les spent around two-and-a-half years in the slightly more tranquil confines of the Powys countryside and fell in love with the farming lifestyle after he and his brother were homed with the Pugh family just outside the idyllic village of Nantmel, between Rhayader and Llandrindod Wells.

Although Les remembers younger sibling Sid – who has sadly since passed away – suffering with homesickness, the older brother took to country life like a duck to water. We featured Les’ story several months ago and, as he returned to the farm that captivated him so much last week following phonecalls with descendants of the family he stayed with, his homecoming was even captured by a television crew who’d heard about his story.

Mr Pugh was the father and head of the Pugh family

“I have lovely, lovely memories of this place,” an emotional and excited Les said, stepping foot once again on the yard at Upper Rhymney farm.

“You don’t know how wonderful it is for me to see this house. I think I spent two-and-a-half years here and I can hand on heart say that every second was a pleasure.

“It was a culture shock but I settled in so quickly. I will go home [to Liverpool] and still feel more at home here than I do at home.”

While many would have been upset at the sudden upheaval and spent their time longing for loved ones, Les fell in love with his new surroundings and has always yearned to return. But, with his memory fading over the years, he couldn’t quite place where he’d stayed – confusing the name of the farm with Rhymney in the south Wales valleys, as well as forgetting some of the names of the children.

Les remembers the head of the household being Mr Pugh and recalls two of the four Pugh children vividly, with the whole clan accepting him and Sid like they were family themselves.

Trevor Pugh - the eldest child, who Les remembers with fondness

Mr Pugh had four children – Trevor, Blodwyn, Leonard and Miriam. Les had always spoken of Trevor and Blodwyn fondly but had forgotten Miriam and Leonard’s names – until he had a midnight epiphany earlier this year. And that changed everything.

Enlisting the help of his niece, the pieces of the puzzle finally began to fall into place. She entrusted Google to help find the needle in the haystack and, against all odds, she managed to track down the descendants of the family, namely Leonard’s wife Frances, who is still alive, aged 89, and her children.

Frances assisted Les’ niece with piecing together her uncle’s past and fondly remembered the two Scouse stowaways.

Many of the Pugh children’s descendants still live and farm locally today and several were there for Les’ visit last week. “Although our father Trevor didn't talk a great deal about the evacuees we knew two boys had arrived from Bootle,” said Austin and Angela Pugh.

“It was a pleasure for the Pugh family to welcome Les and his neice Fiona back to where Les and his brother had been evacuated during World War II. It was lovely to hear Les say how our grandfather Pryce Pugh had taught him to value and respect everything.

Les Nabb returns to Upper Rhymney farm after 80 years away

"It was obviously a big lifestyle change to him, but one that he thoroughly enjoyed being in the country. We look forward to seeing him again and keeping in touch.”

Stephen Pugh, Leonard’s son, added: “What a wonderful day for everyone. I met Les and listened to his stories of when he was a young boy playing with my father Len at Upper Rhymney farm.

“I remember my father talking about the evacuee boys that came to stay and now I have met him and what a true gent he is.”

Les, who now lives in the Bootle area of Liverpool, returned home he thinks towards the end of 1941, later enlisting in the Army. He worked initially with his father as an Albert docks lorry driver, going into plant work later in life after entering the forces at 17. He also worked for the prison service and at Ashworth Hospital before retiring.