- Contributed by听
- ambervalley
- People in story:听
- Mary Helen Platt (nee Benfield)
- Location of story:听
- Derby and Lincolnshire
- Background to story:听
- Royal Air Force
- Article ID:听
- A2808425
- Contributed on:听
- 05 July 2004
Tailors Shop Personnel, Hemsworth 1942. Back row Jack? Myself, Gladys, Sid, Front row Edna, Abe & Joyce. Taken outside shop.
I was sent to work at Smiths in Drewry Lane, Derby at the age of 14. We were making uniforms for servicepeople. I was there for 5 years before I joined the WAAF in 1941. After training they sent me to RAF Hemswell where I worked in the tailor's shop for 4 years.
I was married in 1944 to Edward Arthur Platt who I met at camp. We had to have a letter from the vicar of Boulton Church, Alvaston, Derby to get permission to be married, as all leave was cancelled for D-Day.
I learnt my trade in the Tailor's shop. There were seven of us all from different parts of the clothing trade so I learnt a lot, which gave me valuable experience for when I returned to civilian life.
I decided to join up after my dad got cross when I was late home from dancing one night - and late was half past 10! I joined up the next Saturday but when they came to fetch me I wondered what I had done? My first night at the training camp at Bridgenorth there was a dance and I stayed up till 11 - thought I was in heaven!!
And joining up turned out to be the best thing I ever did.
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