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I married a Soldier in 1943 who I met in Hull. He was in the Royal Welsh and released to help with bomb damage reconstruction in 1944. We married at Newland St. Johns Church in Hull. The friend who was going to take the photographs was ‘bombed out’ the night before the wedding and so a neighbour agreed to do it instead. Not many people had a camera in those days.
We had an SP sign in our garden. My friend asked whether my father was a ‘Special Policeman’ However, I said ‘No’, the sign SP stood for Stirrup Pump. My dad was a fire-watcher and the stirrup pump was there in case of fire!
We had a wedding cake. The cake was made up with fruit which had been saved up by our neighbours. The bottom tier of the cake was actually cardboard, covered in silver paper. The sandwiches were of potted meat spread and we had glasses of port and lemon. We all thought it was a really good spread, all thanks to the many people who kindly helped!
Everyone helped everyone else in those days. Moreover, we will never forget the bombing night after night and all the people we knew who were killed or injured. So much tragedy. Those who survived it all became lifelong friends — we all still in touch to this day. I am now 80 years of age and have seen so many changes but I look back on the war years as if they were yesterday. So many memories. Having to walk miles to work and spending nights in the air raid shelters. People losing their homes and all their belongings and trailing around or digging to find bits and pieces to salvage from their demolished houses.
I always go to all the concerts and get-togethers in memory of the war and know how much we all owe to the brave men and boys and girls who were in the forces. We should always remember them all. God Bless.

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