´óÏó´«Ã½

I volunteered for the Auxiliary Territorial Service in 1943 and served about 4 years, most of that time as a convoy driver. As such we drove all vehicles up to a weight of 3 tons loaded - rarely the same make or type of vehicle two days running. For example - Jeeps followed say the next day by Bedford QL Troop Carriers or perhaps 3 ton left-hand drive American Studebakers. We also drove armoured cars, guided by a lookout, half tracks and even ’Ducks’ and small Morris Minors!

My selection for driver training was at Queen’s camp, Guildford, Surrey. All interested recruits were assembled in the gymnasium and told to ’RUN’ around the gym as fast as we could! Great fun! However the few who were selected, of whom I was one, were those who had avoided any collisions with other recruits!

I learned to drive at Camberley, Surrey (I was among the intake of trainees who followed Princess Elizabeth). During the ten weeks training we had to pass 5 tests, including night driving, plus Highway Code and vehicle maintenance tests. Many failed during the course and were ousted, but failure didn’t enter my head. I would get through - I was determined! My only reason for joining up was to escape working as a Bank Clerk in the City and I knew failure at driving would probably lead me to the Pay Corps! Pay Corps? - Banking? - What’s the difference? I always swore if that happened I’d desert!!

My second posting as a qualified driver, in early Spring 1944, was from Burnham Beeches, Slough to Castle Ashby, Northampton (home of the Marquis and Marchioness of Northampton). A well protected section of the castle was set by for use by the ATS with Marquis and Marchioness still in residence - well segregated from the ’hoi poloi’. Our initial duties were to park vehicles on either side of the 2-mile long drive leading to the castle. It seemed at first like a never-ending stream of vehicle deliveries and eventually, I would reckon, by early May 1944, all available parking spaces on either side of the drive were full. Although all leave was cancelled and our mail was censored we really had no clear idea of what was happening. As the vehicles of every size, type and make arrived fitters were frantically water-proofing them so we worked out that they could possibly be used for coastal landings - but where and when and why so far from the coast as Northampton?

Then all went quiet and we were more or less idle for weeks. The weather was beautiful so we’d hide behind the closely parked vehicles, strip to bra and panties and sunbathe. During this period we discovered an old Jeep, dirty but in running order, that we’d take turns to race at top speed up and down a rough piece of wasteland behind the waterproofed vehicles. This bit of fun lasted until the vehicle ran out of petrol!

After this period of inactivity, we were instructed to attend a meeting at which we were told that we would be called at 4am the following morning, have breakfast, collect packed lunches and convoy whatever vehicles were allocated to us from Northampton to Tilbury Docks. Because the vehicles were waterproofed we were unable to exceed 15 miles per hour to avoid ruining the waterproofing by overheating the engines. There was a type of heavy yellow plastic around each engine.

After breakfast we convoyed vehicles at the stated speed to Tilbury Docks. A troop carrier would be at Tilbury to return us to Castle Ashby by late evening the same day, when we would have dinner. This routine was repeated every other day until all the vehicles along the drive were cleared. I shall never forget, despite rationing, the wonderful full-English breakfasts, packed lunches and mouth-watering dinners we were served during that period of my service - as I will never forget the ladies of Dagenham, Essex! Each time we drove our convoys through Dagenham these dear ladies threw chocolates and three cigarettes with three Swan Vesta matches to each driver. (Driving at maximum 15 mph they never missed their targets). I’ve often wondered how this was organised. Sweets were rationed and cigarettes were in short supply. Are there any of these ladies still around who can enlighten me?

The majority of these convoys involved ATS drivers. We understood the ‘powers that be’ considered we’d have more patience, driving constantly at such a very low speed, than men drivers would! True!!!

After D-Day on the 6th June 1944 I could never understand why all these waterproofed vehicles were convoyed to Tilbury. To the best of my knowledge no invasion forces embarked from other than English Channel Ports. This has puzzled me for over 61 years. Can you enlighten me? How ere all the vehicles that were delivered to Tilbury utilised, and where? Was it some sort of ruse to distract the enemy? Ours were not the only convoys. Tilbury seemed to be converged upon from all directions.

Even if my story (on which I can expand if necessary) is not followed up - please, please can somebody answer my Tilbury and Dagenham Ladies puzzles?

Soon after D-Day I was posted to a Motor Transport Unit based at the White City Greyhound Stadium, which was used throughout the War as a Military base. We were billeted in two commandeered houses in wealthy Holland Park Avenue - lovely houses with sunken baths and bedrooms large enough to house six to eight army beds. The neighbours did appear to look down on the ATS ‘hoi poloi’, but who cared? Surplus military vehicles were delivered to White City for onward transportation to various breaker’s yards in the London area. Some were non-starters so it was not unusual for one runner to tow two or three non-runners across London on these crazy convoys. We were young and totally unphased by the possible dangers!

On VE-Day we were instructed to deliver some 15cwt Bedford trucks from White City to a destination in the East End of London before we could be free to join the celebrations in the West End. We decided we’d drive through rather than around London, just to see what was happening. With some difficulty we managed to get as far a Trafalgar Square - there we came to a grinding halt! We were surrounded by revellers, offering us drinks and cigarettes. They tried unsuccessfully to get us out of the vehicles and finally what seemed like dozens of happy singing and shouting people climbed onto each lorry - even dancing on the bonnets - making it impossible for us to move because we couldn’t see where we were going. It was a great experience which eventually took the ‘strong arm of the law’ - a bevy of policemen - to clear the way for us to continue our journey enabling us to enjoy some well-earned time off!

Later in the day, having managed to contact my sister and other members of the family, who had travelled up from Kent, I happily joined the fantastic ‘never to be forgotten’ celebrations in Trafalgar Square.

Norah Lewis (nee Pankhurst)
Battle, East Sussex

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.