大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People鈥檚 War site by Nadine from the People鈥檚 War team on behalf of Janet Jardine Reeve and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

On April 4th 1943 from the small village of Dunbeath, in Caithness, I took the bus into Wick, 21 miles away and joined the A.T.S. I was 17 陆.

After a few days I got orders to go to Dalkeith for 3 weeks basic training. I applied to become a driver, so was sent to Camberly in Surrey for 6 weeks. I passed the driving test in a 16 CWT Truck. I then went into a holding unit in London to await posting. I got Chicken Pox and after 10 days in hospital looking out at barrage balloons, I got 7 days sick leave. I went home to Dunbeath by train and bus and spent 2 nights in my own bed. The rest of the week mostly on slow trains, and sitting on my kit bag in corridors.

I was then posted to Mansfield to be an Officer鈥檚 driver. I was allocated to a Colonel Stanton who was a stickler for discipline. I had to take him out some nights to inspect lorry convoys in training, very hard on the eyes.

When I was 18 I thought I would love to go abroad, so put in for overseas posting. It eventually came through, the Colonel called me to HC office to give me the news. I was quite shocked when he said I鈥檇 been posted to Stromness in Orkney! Seeing I鈥檇 come from Caithness I was more than a little peeved:- off I went and my journey to Stromness managed to take me via Dunbeath to see my mum and dad.

When I got to Stromness after a rough crossing on the St.Ola and was put into hut 10 which was a corrugated iron Nissan hut, must mention Orkney was classified as overseas because of the threat of invasion from Norway. At one time all leave was cancelled for a while.

I was given a utility truck to drive (a bit down graded from the Humber I had in Mansfield) which I had to service. I drove any officer round camps etc. wherever they needed to go. I always felt nervous when I had to go to the Italian P.O.W. camp. They did put up a lovely chapel, decorated the theatre, NAAFI.

One morning whilst starting the utility by cranking it because of the cold 鈥� the starting handle flewback. I ended up with a fractured wrist. I got sick leave. It was easy for me 鈥� boat across to Scrabster. Bus home via Wick. I was very privileged to get the chance to be taken over a couple of the big ships in the flow. I was also taken over a small German Submarine in Kirkwall which had been captured.

One of my earliest experiences was driving up a steep, very narrow lane back to the Attery, when I saw a signals despatch rider coming straight at me. He avoided me but got his front wheel stuck between a boulder and the wall. Naturally I stopped too and apologised and learnt some new words I鈥檇 never heard before.

Later that day my good pal Nellie Willis invited me to go to the Toch for a drink to meet her boyfriend (a despatch rider). Guess what, his pal was the bloke I鈥檇 run up the wall. I was introduced to him as Claude because he looked like Claude Hulbert (well known actor). He said we鈥檝e already met. His real name was Ted Reeve. We passed each other lots whilst on duty back and fore on the Island. So got to know each other. On May 8th, V.E. Day we got engaged and on September 10th 1945 we got married in Dunbeath Church. Probably drove him up the wall all his life!!!

I was also part of a concert party called 鈥淭he Livewires鈥�, which was put together by boys in the Royal Signals. We had a professional dancer who did all the choreography 鈥� a professional pianist, violinist and a chap (with help) who wrote all the little topical sketches. We put on shows mostly in the theatre, but also travelled with the show. I loved it, but have lost contact with all those who took part.

I got my discharge papers on 8th December 1945.

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