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(My name is Patricia Van Punt, nee Griffiths. I was known as Freddie during the war)

I joined the Land Army in 1941 and was stationed at Bewdley. It was a dairy farm and being a townie I found myself quite enjoying the work, milking cows (I had never been near one before) and learning all the general farm chores.

One incident stays in my mind however. The Americans were stationed at Wolverley. They had set up a hospital and I made friends with one of the sergeants who was also a male nurse. One evening we had been to a cinema in Kidderminster and were cycling back to the farm which was on the edge of the Wyre Forest.

I remember so well that the hedgerows were bright with fireflies so beautiful, and suddenly I hit something in the lane, next thing I knew, I was in Kidderminster Hospital having stitches in my eyebrow. I don’t know what happened but when my friend Harry came to see me he said I had hit a fishing basket being carried by two men — light was very poor because of the blackout.

When the police interviewed me they said they were expecting more injuries as there was such a lot of blood at the scene, poor Harry had used his handkerchief to mop me up and thrown it on the hedge. I still have the scar so I will never forget that night and the fireflies.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Sue Russell of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ on behalf of Patricia Van Punt and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

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