- Contributed by听
- National Trust WW2 Rural Learning Events
- People in story:听
- Ruth Ferns ( Nee Alexander ) Transcribed at Berrington Hall Rural Learning Event
- Location of story:听
- Belfast, Camberley ,Frimley
- Background to story:听
- Civilian Force
- Article ID:听
- A3918837
- Contributed on:听
- 19 April 2005
I started off in N Ireland in Belfast when I joined FANY ( First Aid Nursing Yeomanry )in 1939
We had comandeered Pickfords vans for ambulances and the large ones were made into three tier ambulances. I was on duty when Belfast was badly blitzed and atthe end of the day ( It was the First night of the Blitz ) I was left with just my gum boots overcoat and Tin Hat everything else had gone. Part of my job then was to feed the firemen and I spent 24hrs cooking porridge and tea for them. Itwas impossible to get a break.
I also drove ambulances and later became a Driving instructor of the instructors at Camberley. The Princess( Our Current Queen) used our ambulance when she was posted to Bowfront at Camberley.
I was moved to Frimley where I remember one day when I was teaching someone how to drive a 30cwt truck we were blown over by the blast of a V2 rocket. We managed to get ourselves back towards the house we were based in but when we got there we found it had been completely blown up so that night we had to sleep out under a tarpualin
Eventually sent to OCTU at Windsor(After recovering from Mumps !) and then was posted to Ack Ack RASC East Finchley as officer in charge of broken down vehicles.
I had several different locations to cover and as I had no car I had to use a motor bike to get about. Being small I had to get someone to kick start it for me.
Later I went back to Bowfront at the time of the DD day. I wanted to be a dispatch rider but because Icouldn鈥檛 manage the kick start I went back to driving instruction.
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