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When the war was first announced I was 16 and living in Exeter. It was sad, you felt so drained and scared. You felt that it was really coming; most people could not believe it, when a week before we were issued with gas masks.

I was called up to be in the ATS and was based in Didcot in Berkshire after training at Wrexham for 6 weeks. I was so excited and thrilled when I got called up! I worked in an Army Ordnance depot to pack everything that a soldier needed, I did office paperwork. Everything was so secretive and all who were working in the ATS had to take an oath of silence. This was so that we did not give anything away, for example even the information of receiving large amounts of mosquito nets would easily give away work in a hot country. This turned out to be for the Africa Campaign, and I couldn't even tell my parents.
As everything was so secretive we never had any air raids, despite the location being near a large railway centre.

The best thing about being in the ATS was having so many friends. There was always something to do in the evenings we used to go to dances for a thruppence or to the cinema. It almost didn't feel right when everything was over. Sometimes (on a day off) we would go to Reading or Oxford for the day. One day I stood on Oxford station next to Clark Gable (the actor). He was very tall and handsome!

However, the worst thing was getting up at 5am during the Africa Campaign. We used to have to stand for parade while the duty officer for the day inspected us with lights. Afterwards we would all have to march for a mile before beginning work. I certainly did not enjoy that every morning!
At that time I strongly disliked the German prisoners of war. Whenever you used to walk past they would spit. We also had Italian prisoners of war. They would both make life difficult for you in certain ways.
Every morning your bunks had to be inspected, everything had to be laid out and everything had to be cleaned.

My most memorable moment of the war was celebrating VE day. My boyfriend (later to become my husband) and I went up to London for the day. We went up to the top of a building in Trafalgar Square as we were to watch the celebrations from a balcony up near the top. However to get to the balcony I remember having to slide down right from the top. It was so high and I feared that I would not land on the small balcony (after dangling from the top) when Aubrey let go of my hands! Also we watched from Tower Bridge but I had to get on Aubrey鈥檚 shoulders to see!

My parents hated me being in the war, they felt that young girls should not. They could not wait for me to get home, as they were so worried. However I would certainly do it all again if I had the choice.

I hope war never happens again, it is such a waste of life.
By Joanne Pilkington

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