When I was in highschool we had a club, led by our biology teacher. We were called the Wacholders. During Easter and summer vacation we would go camping. In the summer of 1939 we went camping in Meiringen in Switzerland. My parents were planning to take a trip by car to Switzerland and Italy. The plan was to drop me and a friend of mine off in Meiringen and then go on to Italy and pick us up on their way home.
We met the Wacholders in Meiringen when they arrived by train. The news of the non agression pact between Germany and Russia had just been aired and tension was thick. Mr B, the teacher asked my parents to stay and share responsibility as several of the senior boys were apt to be drafted if Holland mobilised. They did, especially as they had to take my friend and me home if the camping trip was cut short.
Meiringen is in beautiful surroundings. We camped pretty high up on the mountain. However we didn't make any climbs but stayed close to camp.
My Father was in frequent contact with the Dutch Embassy in Switzerland. On the third day of our stay the message came: " You better go home, transportation is already chaotic. France is mobilising and Holland has announced it's intention to do the same." We left right away, we by car and Mr B. and the rest of the Wacholders by train.
Switzerland mobilised and the roads were full of military vehicles which had the right of way, so we were caught in long lines waiting for traffic to clear. Gas was extremely scarce and we could just get a few gallons at a time. France was the same. Congested roads and long lines at the gas stations. We drove as long as we could but had to quit at dark as our car was not outfitted for black out. We made home in 2 days.Not long after the main group. Their train had to wait for troop transports to go through. In the evening there was no light on the train and rumors of war were abundant.
We came home the end of August. Holland mobilised and on Sunday September third Germany invaded Poland, Great Britain declared war, so did France. We came home just in time, but sometimes I wished we had stayed in Switzerland.