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A Young Army Wife from Guernsey

[Mrs Whitehead was born in Guernsey and went to Vauvert School, which she left at 14 and went into service, first at a nursing home, and later with a family. Met husband, John, a soldier, in Guernsey and followed him to England. Worked for Col Moore, (rtd) (who had been at Elizabeth College in Guernsey), his wife and two daughters, Molly and Kitty. She married John in Guildford in 1938 at 17½. He was a Batman at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst]

It was 1938, and talk of war.
We settled in a flat, had two cats, one dog & baby.
Walking round the grounds & lakes & watching Church parades Sunday Mornings. Army provided sheets & cooking utensils with bits and pieces from antique shop it was so cosy. Then the talk of War.
All the young officers had to dig trenches, Then it was cancelled. So filled them in. Then again news came, John and his officer had to go away. So the cookhouse took my cats. An old lady who had lost her dog, and asked if she could have mine, and they told me I would be safer in Guernsey. Young John was a year old. So that was the first year of my marriage. I was sent back home, also pleased to see family. Had a nice few weeks. After being home a few weeks John wrote & said they were stationed in Colchester and his friend & wife was going to put us up. So once again, I left Guernsey and arrived in Colchester.
His friend & wife lived in West Bergholt. 5 miles from the barracks. Thatched Cottage, just 2 bedrooms, and one living room. She had 1 child and me. Garden full of fruit trees. Men went to work, 5 miles on bike, mostly down hill, tiring coming back. Nick was used to it, We enjoyed it. But John didn’t have the stamina to ride back. So we eventually found a Ground Floor flat opposite the Barracks which was nice.
I was pregnant then with second child. Also the Germans had taken the Channel Islands. So I got out in time. Sister joined ATS. 2 young ones evacuated sent to Scotland. 4 brothers, Army, Navy, and Air Force. 2 Uncles in Army. But no news of Island, and only Red Cross Messages. Bombs dropping in and around Colchester. My daughter was born at home with the Queen Alexandra Nurses. My sister came to see me. It was a worrying time.
Just after that, John moved to Baildon, and he sent me to his Dad in Sutton in Ashfield Nottingham.
There 3 wks, wrote and said he found a place in Baildon,, Well, it was bed and breakfast 16 shillings but I had to have my other meals at Officers’ mess when they had eaten all theres & John officer was in charge of troops in Baildon, John was Sgt then, and seen all the stores & food. One of the worst snow storms, and again it was hard, and I realised, why mother and Miss Kitty didn’t want me to court John so young. But he was older 12 years and we wanted to be together. We had nothing, paid our way. And very few clothes, and lucky to be healthy and wanted to be together. It wasn’t long before they were moving again. So a Sgt wife had a cottage, Men going abroad. Asked me to share cottage. She had three children and I two. So we payed half of everything. I cleaned cottage. She washed and ironed & we looked after children.
One day had a letter from the girl Cloe, who had put john & I up in Colchester. Her Husband was in Parachute Regiment one of the first in Dunkirk. He had fallen in a Tree. Both legs and arms damaged. Would I go and see him in Bradford Hospital. Poor Nick, visited him & when better took him out, and before he left hospital, slipped down the stairs (army boots) and his arms was all in plaster, he was a Somerset man, very strong, all he did is laugh, he had to go back to bed.
Then I found out, a lot of Guernsey people had been evacuated in Baildon. Found my Aunt & her family. In the meantime John had sent word, they were at Godalming in Surrey. Would we both go down, as they were on embarkation leave. So I had to get two children ready, Caught train and we both went.
Found out, John hadn’t even got me somewhere to stay. He was irresponsible. Luckily 2 Gentlemen retired officers had a cottage and offered to put me up & then after said I could stay until John came back. I thanked them, but said I wasn’t sure, & I knew people in Baildon. So the regiment went to the middle East, Bengazi, Tripoli, Tobruk and then he was sent to Persia to guard prisoners of war. He was away 4¼ years. The two retired officers, run a canteen for boys embarking. My allowance wasn’t much. Moved in with my Aunts. Took a job cleaning a pub 7 till 11. Once again, that was hard work.

One of the big houses in Otley was turned into a Nursing Home for people having babies. Harton Hall where Guy Fawkes family lived. My sister in Law came to live in Baildon. She asked me, would I look after her 2 while she had her baby there. My brother was stationed in Aldershot. So all I seem to be doing looking after children.
Letters from John, not many. Struggle with clothes. John & Mary went to school at 3 yrs & be for them to sleep on. I took a job at Post Office delivery letters & washing up in Canteen. Started with Headackes,. Went to see eye specialist. He asked me what I was doing at home, I should be working on munitions. I turned round & told him I’m married 2 children, husband fighting in North Africa, job washing up in canteen and posting letters & my family under Germans. Mum sister brother, and Uncles & sister & brothers in Forces. What more do you want. He apologized & said you look so healthy. I said, trying to remember all the houses & streets & be finished to pick up children from school. But glasses didn’t do much good it was tension and being on time, to pick children up.
I had a chance of buying a cottage, for £150. so I put £50 down & paid extra money. Charged 17/6 a week & rest off rent. Called Rental Purchased. So at last, 1 attic, bedroom, living room, cellar, & near school. Found a second hand shop bought bits & pieces. So at last I had a home. Army money wasn’t much, £3/6/8. But Post Office & canteen helped. Not much, but it kept me going, and had a home, for John to come home to.
I thought John was never coming home.
So I wrote to him and said it wasn’t fair, hardly any letters, etc, you have been away too long.
Had a letter back from Padre, Said not to write like that again , as John was heading for a nervous breakdown, and he & John had been out there & had a duty to do & couldn’t come home just yet, so I felt ashamed.
Then one day had a letter he was on his way, coming through France & had to go to York for demob.
I suddenly thought I won’t know him. John was 8 & Mary 6. I had to meet at Station 3 in morning. So asked a friend to come with me. When I saw him, I didn’t like him. So was on my guard, he went outside next morning showing his braces. I said John, come in, you don’t go outside like that, put your Jacket on. It took me 10 days to get used to him.
John & Mary, he was strict with them, had to take turns with washing up & drying.
I always wanted another baby. So was pleased when that happened. So gave my job up at Post Office. John got a job on Railway, so had special tickets when I could go and see parents. So children & I set off Shipley, Southampton & boat across. Managed to go for a holiday a couple of years, and see family.

[Precis of remainder.
Husband died after 29 years of marriage in 1967. 5 Children, 8 Grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren. At 80 moved from Baildon to Darlington to be nearer one of the children]

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