大象传媒

These memories were added by Olivia Cubberley with the kind permission of Mrs Pat Lee.

Eventually, my sister who was 2 years older than me was conscripted for War Work, either munitions or the forces. As my mam had worked on munitions during World War 1, she advised Doreen to opt for the forces. So she went into the army.

I was still working at Reckitt鈥檚 but I certainly wasn鈥檛 happy in my work, the constant clanging of the machinery with the resulting noise, really got on my nerves. When I was 17 I asked my mam if I could join the ATS. I knew it was a case of sooner or later, and as she gave her consent I went to enlist. I can鈥檛 say it was through a sense of patriotic fervour, more to get away from Reckitt鈥檚! I went to volunteer and was told that as my sister was older than me she would 鈥榗laim鈥� me into her own unit, and we could serve together, but of course that never happened. At 17 陆 I was duly called up and went to Pontefract to start basic training - the 鈥榮quare bashing鈥� and cross country runs. As it was now February, we had to keep running to try and keep warm in our skimpy kit! I can still remember that I was in 鈥楳inden Block鈥� it was at least brick built, better than the Nissen Huts we spent most of our time in. Our first day was spent being kitted out (one uniform for work and a dress uniform for parades) being shown to our barrack, having our medicals, queuing up for our injections. Like our gas mask drill, there was quite a bit of fainting going on. Later on most of the girls started smoking. I was offered one, took about 3 puffs and coughed and spluttered, I thought 鈥渋f this is smoking, it鈥檚 not for me鈥�. The price of cigarettes today I鈥檓 jolly glad I never got the habit.

At this time, the Colonel in Chief asked for 1000 ATS to be hand picked for special work so that the Sappers (RE鈥檚) could be released to go overseas to join the fighting regiments. We all sat the same exams; one of the requirements was to have a very good memory. As the Allied Forces advanced into different countries and theatres of war, we had to memorise more and more abbreviations. In the end, it was over a 1000, but then we had youth on our side. Nowadays, sometimes I can鈥檛 even remember what day it is. I was lucky enough to be chosen, so along with 999 other girls from all over the country I was sent to Nottingham. Our canteen was in Trent Bridge Cricket Grounds.

We all had to sign the 鈥楽ecrets Act鈥�, raise our right arm and swear allegiance to King and Country. It was very moving and emotional. We were all billeted in very large houses in West Bridgeford, about 25-30 in each house. The residents were not too happy with their new neighbours; they thought we lowered the tone of the place. I was on the first floor in a front bedroom with 7 other girls. We were on the main bus route and we had 2 very large windows. The bus stop was right outside our house, with the top deck eye level with our bedroom. As we didn鈥檛 have the luxury of curtains, if we were in a state of undress we had to dive for cover. We worked 3 shifts on a regular basis, earlies, lates and nights.

Our beds were made of plywood, with 3 鈥榖iscuits鈥� (squares of material filled with an unknown material) and as soon as we got into bed, the blessed things just came apart. No wonder we all had constant backache! Everyday we had to lay out all our kit for inspection. The two blankets had to be folded in a certain way so that no edges were showing, our spare pair of shoes had to have a gloss on them that looked like glass and our best uniform had to have gleaming buttons and badges 鈥� or else! When we had been on late or night duty, all we wanted to do was flop into bed, but we had all our spare kit to put away first, then make the bed up.

When we were on night duty, we were forced to go to the 鈥榤ess鈥� for our dinner at 2 o鈥檆lock in the morning. As it was all reheated from the day before and far from appetizing, most of us just turned around and walked back to our work place to get some fresh air. One time about 8 of us went to the railway station 鈥� we wanted to find out the times of a train going to Birmingham. The gentleman we asked gave us such a mouthful of abuse; he was quite convinced that we were all 鈥榣adies of the night鈥�.

We had all just got settled into the army routine, and looking forward to our first leave, when it was cancelled because of the threat of an invasion. I don鈥檛 know what they expected us girls to do to repel the enemy, but thank goodness that question never arose. It was nine months before we got our first leave, and a taste of proper food. Our staple diet seemed to be prunes and watery custard, bread and butter pudding, and I think it was meant to be sago, but it always looked like the stuff for pasting wallpaper, made from flour and water.

After a while we moved from West Bridgeford to the dreaded Nissen Huts in a field in the middle of nowhere. To say it was bleak is putting it mildly. There were about 20 girls in each hut, a stove in the centre which was very temperamental and a so and so to light. Guess who was in the end bed nearest the door with icy winds blowing in! We slept with our pullovers on, our greatcoats on top of the bed and just watched the condensation running down the walls. It鈥檚 a miracle we didn鈥檛 all die of pneumonia!

If I had a 48 hour leave pass when I was on late duty, (rather than waiting until the following morning) at the end of the shift I would dash across the road to the railway station and catch the 10.15 Sheffield train, then the train for Hull 鈥� I鈥檇 be at Paragon Station around 3 o鈥檆lock in the morning. As the buses didn鈥檛 start until 5 o鈥檆lock, and I certainly hadn鈥檛 the money for a taxi fare, I walked all the way from the town to Westcott Street, almost the last house, and never gave a thought to meeting undesirables. I always found my way in the blackout and my dear mam was always waiting for me, a meal and a nice cup of tea at the ready.

Incidentally on Pay Parade, we all had to stand to attention, pay books at the ready, and in alphabetical order. When our name was called, we had to step smartly to the pay desk, salute the officer, receive our pay, step back a pace, salute again and join those already paid. All this for 10/ a week (50p). After about 2 years a group of us were sent to a Private Opticians to have our eyes tested 鈥� according to the gentleman we all needed specs, as we were all suffering from eye strain. I bet his takings were showing a profit that week. So we were all issued with those steel rimmed horrors for our working hours. When I returned to civilian life, I went to the opticians for 4 years (different ones) and always had to have the lenses changed. On my 5th visit,I went to another Optician who I still go to. After reading the card with the letters on and a few other tests, he asked, 鈥渨hy on earth are you wearing glasses. You have perfect vision鈥�. For the last 10 years I had been wearing specs which I didn鈥檛 need. Even now, at almost 80, I only wear them for reading.

I still have my issue 鈥榟ousewife鈥� 鈥� a small sewing kit (and I have still got the bodkin that was issued). My army shoes, a shirt, and my laundry bag are all in the museum in Beverley. When any of our kit was wearing out, we had to go to the stores for replacements; it was like trying to get blood out of a stone. They would count the number of darns in our stockings, and tell us to come back in a month鈥檚 time. The collars were starched that stiff, they were really uncomfortable at times, but at least we looked smart 鈥� that was the main thing. I was rather proud of my uniform actually. Our hair had to be 2鈥� above the collar and woe betides anyone if it was 陆 an inch longer than is should be. I know the ATS had a bad reputation, goodness knows why, but all the time I was in the army, only 1 girl was dismissed from the 1000 in our Company for having a child out of wedlock.

In 1945 my sister (still in the army) set a date for her wedding. Her future husband was in the Merchant Navy and was due on leave. I applied for a 48 hour pass but was refused. As it happened I was on lates that week, so after the shift, I once again headed for home, and arrived in the early hours of June 6th. Later on, I was on my bike (in civvies of course) and I saw two hefty looking Red Caps marching down Westcott Street and I knew they were after me. Fortunately my future brother in law answered the door. Had it been my mam, she would have invited them in and given them tea and biscuits while they waited for me. He told them I wasn鈥檛 at home (may the Good Lord forgive him) but that I had probably gone to Manchester to see my boyfriend who was on leave from the RAF!! Len, my future in law, told a friend that I had come home on 鈥楩rench Leave鈥�. My mam overhearing this told the neighbours I was going to France. When I got back to my unit, I was put on 鈥榡ankers鈥� for a week and my 10/ was stopped 鈥� but it was worth it. It is their 60th wedding anniversary this year.

I used to go out with 2 Polish Air Crew (like the ATS, they too had quite a reputation) but not both at the same time I hasten to add. We used to arrange our 鈥榣eaves鈥� to coincide, and they came home with me. They were so grateful for our hospitality, and they were both perfect gentlemen. I once took Stefan to meet my Grandma and Grandad, we had been with them about 3 hours, had a lovely meal with them and on our way out, Grandad asked Stefan 鈥渨hat part of Hull do you come from lad?鈥�.

I used to hold a reunion at my house every year; it was great to see them all again and we never stopped chattering. By this time they were all married, and brought their husbands along who had all served in the forces. It was quite a crowd. I used to put balloons up, the Union Jack, the red carpet, and company orders on the door! It has been a few years now since we all met (3 of us are now widows). It sure doesn鈥檛 seem like 62 years since we first met. In spite of all the hardships, I enjoyed my army life, met so many lovely people from all over the country and the comradeship was something special.

I seriously thought about making the army my career, but then I thought of my dear little mam, who would be alone again. So I came home and started my lif in civvies once again, but that鈥檚 another story.

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