大象传媒

In World War 2, anti-aircraft batteries were manned by members of the royal Artillery and girls of the Auxilliary Territorial Service (ATS) of which I was one. We were 18 and 19 years old serving in Heavy Anti-Aircraft mixed batteries. I was a plotter (plotting movement of aircraft and shipping) and a telephonist, all part of the job in hand. Little did I realise when I volunteered for the Services what I would be called upon to do. After rigorous essential training and learning new skills such as aircraft recognition and Morse Code among many others, I was ready for what was to come in the next three years.

I was serving with the 137 Regiment Heavy Anti Aircraft, 682 Battery on the outskirts of Weymouth when the build-up of troops, equipment and shipping for D-Day got under way. All leave had been cancelled during this time and rumours were flying around about this top secret operation. The gunsite I was serving on was on the cliffs overlooking the bay and all movement could be observed. My colleague and I reported for our spell of duty from 11pm to 6am, an hour earlier than usual. When we had taken up our positions, we realised that something was happening from the mass of movement on our boards. Then our CO invited us to join him upstairs (we normally worked underground) to witness the most memorable sight. He had said, "Join me on the command post and you will witness a part of history being made." How true his words were. The ships, troops and equipment had already gone and the sky was full of aircraft and gliders on their way to France. The sight will be forever imprinted on my memory.

Soon after these events took place, there was another emergency on the Kent coast to where we had been moved. The whole Regiment was involved in the 'Battle of the Doodle Bugs' (flying bombs) which had a devastating effect on many of the young girls. Illness and even death became part of our daily lives but, thank God, we had won the war against Hitler and his regime and, at 81, I am still able to recall events of those times and be very proud to BE BRITISH.

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