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When we were on night duty we only got two nights off a month. We had to put our names down on a list if we wanted two particular nights off; and if we were on a ward that was a long way away from the dining room, where this list was, we used to have to fly down before anybody else got there. Or perhaps we’d ask a friend who was on a ward nearer to put our names down on the list for us. (That wasn’t allowed really).

It didn’t really seem to matter in those days if you only had two nights off — we just accepted it really.

I used to come home to Shrewsbury — I sued to catch a bus to Newcastle-Under-Lyme, and then from Newcastle-Under-Lyme I could catch the Midland Red- they used to have one waiting for us. It used to cost me three and ninepence to come home which was quite a lot of money out of one pound seven and sixpence a month.

The buses didn’t run very often, and I only used to have an hour or so at home and then I’d go back again. — but it was worth it because I do so love Shrewsbury.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Patricia Davies and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Pat's stories:

• 1) I suppose it was inevitable…
• 2) Getting used to being on the wards
• 3) The unchanging rota
• 4) Othopaedic Wards
• 5) The Miners
• 6) Keeping coffee warm in the sterilizer
• 7) Mouth gags and tongue clips
• 8) Dear Flower Girl
• 9) Theatres
• 10) The Nurse’s Home
• 11) The ‘Guinea Pig Club’
• 12) Mice in the washing and other tricks
• 13) Enamel washbowls on your heads
• 14) Extra Work
• 15) Shake and Shake…
• 16) Little Nurse
• 17) A lot of things were introduced during the War
• 19) Making and Breaking
• 20) My little bucket and I
• My visit to post-War Germany

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