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This story was told to East Ayrshire Library Staff by Mary Bowie (now Stewart) during a People’s War Workshop at the Crosshouse Library on 4th May 2005.
Mary remembers that her wedding was booked for a year in advance – but that the date (when it arrived) coincided with the plans for the D-Day invasion and all leave was cancelled. Mary was a final inspectress at the engineering works at Blackwood and Morton in Kilmarnock. It was a small tools works and Mary made parts for guns. Because of the invasion and Jimmy being in the signals (2nd Lowland Division) Mary had to prove how long she had know him before Jimmy was allowed to come home to marry. Jimmy was booked to go to Arnhem but was stationed in England. His Captain (Captain Linton) arranged that Jimmy could marry Mary in Springside, Ayrshire, and then fly out to Arnhem.
They were due to marry on the Saturday at 3 o’clock and Mary didn’t know if Jimmy would make it. He arrived at midnight on Friday night – having to walk the last 6-7 miles from Kilmarnock Station to Springside with his full military pack.
They had no Honeymoon – they stayed overnight in Ayr with an aunt – then Mary and Jimmy had to part on the Sunday when Jimmy went back to his unit.

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