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This story was submitted by Alison Tebbutt, Derby CSV Action Desk, on behalf of Pauline Larrad. The author has given her permission and fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

When war broke out in September 1939, I had been about to return to my grammar school in Nottingham to obtain more qualifications, having gained my school certificate that year. However, the school was evacuated to Mansfield and I did not go. Instead I learned shorthand and typing. But I was then drafted to a Civil Service Post with the Inland Revenue Inspector of Taxes, based on the top floor of the Exchange Building in the centre of the city. All staff had to ‘fire-watch’ i.e stay overnight to deal with Incendiary bombs, but in my job women were not allowed in the city centre but went to other offices whose men went into the city.

We had many alerts as bombers passed over the city to Sheffield, Liverpool and other cities. My first experience was of a bomb dropping near my suburban home. However, Nottingham became a main target in May 1941, when I was not on duty but sheltering in the cellar of my home, two miles from the centre. I am still amazed that next morning there were busses running the restricted service to town, although the main depot had received a direct hit. The services were restricted due to fuel shortages.

Obtaining food was a problem. We had basic rations, for which we registered at a local shop and could only obtain it there. Imported items such as oranges and bananas vanished. Every Saturday afternoon I queued for a cake.

We all worked long hours, myself 8.30am to 7pm with a brief lunch break, Monday to Friday, 8.30-12.30 on Saturday. Church going on Sunday was regular, but we also had special ‘Days of Prayer’ when the entire population attended services at the various denominations, such as when the Dunkirk evacuation took place, or after D-Day, June 6th 1944.

Camps were set up in parks round the city for various troops, first came the Poles, who had managed to escape their country, and later the Yanks, who came prior to D-Day.

Specially supervised buses took parties of approved girls to American camps for evening dances. I went to Tollerton just outside of Nottingham. We were counted in and out.

There was one daytime visit with a barbecue on a Saturday, late May 1944 to the camp of U.S Paratroopers. Most of them never returned home.

I remember going for my lunch break one day and finding a small crowd in the city centre. As I looked the King and Queen came out of the Council House and were taken to visit troops.

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