大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Edna Treece with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions."

I was in the fire service during the war. I was working in the War Memorial hospital when war broke out. I saw an advert for a clerk in the fire service, applied and got the job. I wore civilian clothes during the clerical work. One day a lady in uniform came to visit and said I needed to wear a uniform because it was a National Organisation. I was now a fire woman. I worked my way up to group officer. I wore a tailored uniform with an embroidered badge. I was given charge of a house in Louth, Lincolnshire, sort of a school really. I had to teach various other fire service personnel (all women), how to operate a switchboard, what fire engine to send to what fire and the G.P.O. alphabet. Everyone lived-In as it was a two week course, we even had a cook!
I stayed in the fire service for most of the war. I moved to a fire station in Lincoln and looked after the girls in the control room. I had to take them on drill training. I had to march the girls up Lincoln Hill, a very steep hill, no wonder why now I've had so many hip operations!

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