大象传媒

I was a secretary in the Almoner's department at the old Worcester Royal Infirmary when the second world war broke out. When you had a spare moment, everyone, doctors, nurses, porters and office staff all joined together to help fill the sandbags which were stacked round both entrances, front and back. There was a great community spirit... all equal!

Once, in an emergency, I was asked to man the switchboard, something I had never done before. The Governor asked to be put through to Lady Atkins; the cook wanted to be put through to the fish shop, Shaplands. The Governor ended up speaking to the fish shop and Lady Atkins had a chat with the cook! They didn't ask me to do it again.

The wounded soldiers used to arrive by Hospital train at Shrubhill station. The Royal Infirmary had to take seventy, the rest went to the Military Hospital at Ronkswood. I had to do the clerical work relating to our quota, under the sharp eye of Major Lamb, who ran Ronkswood. We were always given warning of the time of arrival of the train and, on one occasion, knowing I would be working very late, I dashed home to wash my hair (very fair in those days!) and donned a clean white coat. Later on I had to go round all the beds taking details etc. A few days later, chatting to one lad, he told me that when he 'came round' he thought he had ended up in Heaven and I was an Angel!! Nothing could have been further from the truth.

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