大象传媒

(This story was submitted to the People's War site by Ceri Walker from Oxford on behalf of Mrs Freda Jeffcutt and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Jeffcutt fully understands the site's terms and conditions.)

Freda Jeffcutt volunteered for the Army at the beginning of World War 2 and spent most of it at the Army camp at Catterick. Her husband was also in the Army and served mostly in the Far East.

Life in the camp was hard. It was overcrowded, and they were short of beds. Recruits slept 'doubled up, one above the other'. Freda was responsible for drilling the new recruits and she enjoyed the comradeship. 'I was never frightened. In fact, I felt sorry for the wives who were left at home'. Also great fun were the seventy-two hour leaves, when a great gang of girls went to London for rest and relaxation.

Freda's sister worked in the Pathology Lab. at the local hospital, and was not permitted to join the Army. 'She never forgave me', said Freda. 'We had good times. The only thing we didn't like was having to wear the pea-green stockings!'

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