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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Morwenna Nadar of CSV/´óÏó´«Ã½ LONDON on behalf of Mrs. Alison Lyson and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

Before the war started I was a swimwear model and I also did some voluntary work in my spare time with my local Women’s Voluntary Service.. When the government realised that the work done by the WVS was an essential part of the war effort, it decided that the WVS needed some full-time workers, and therefore some women were sent to work there instead of going into the Services or doing factory work. My local branch was allowed to have three workers and I was one of the ones chosen Even although we were classified as civilians, we always had to wear the green uniform which was not supplied - we had to buy it and pay for it ourselves. We were considered volunteered as we hadn’t been actually called up, but we still had to get a written dispensation for a half day off. I remember being on the Waterloo to Guildford train when a man from the Home Office asked me why I was on the train and where I was going, and demanded to see my permission slip.

Because there were many factories in our area, we had a lot of young girls (under 17) from Wales who came to work in them and the WVS was responsible for finding them accommodation. I had the job of billeting officer and as well as sorting out their lodgings, I often found myself dealing with their personal problems. Some of them were very homesick and unhappy, and hated the work they had to do. The only reason they would be dismissed was if they swore at the foreman. I remember one girl coming to me in tears because she was so miserable at work and in London, and asking me for help to get back to Wales. There was nothing I could do so I told her to go and swear at the foreman. She did! I don’t know what she said but it must have been quite strong because shortly after she was on her way back home!

The WVS also had clothing stores. When houses had been bombed and the occupants were left with only the clothes they had been wearing at the time, the WVS would give them emergency clothing plus some extra. I remember our office had a cupboard full of jam which we couldn’t touch and although I was in charge of the clothing store in my area, I couldn’t take anything from there for myself. Sometimes the landmines completely stripped people - their clothes were torn off them by the blast but they themselves survived without too much damage - and we had to clothe them. As well as being upset and shocked by the explosions, by the time they came to us they had also begun to feel embarrassed at being seen naked or nearly so.

During the war, the Admiralty pay was dealt with in Bristol. I decided to apply for a job and along with nine other girls, was called for an interview in Whitehall. I don’t remember much about the questions we were asked but I do remember we were not pleased when the interviewer told us what the pay was - £3 a week - so we all boo-ed and catcalled him! It didn’t seem to affect the result so I think we were badly needed! We all went dancing afterwards in London. We had to be able to write very quickly and legibly, especially in an emergency situation., and we also had to sign the Official Secrets paper. One of the girls had access to top-secret officers’ records and yet she had a husband who used to regularly preach against the war at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park. She made no secret of this and I imagine the people in charge must have known. Although I am sure she would never have told him anything about her work, I was (and still am) very surprised that the authorities allowed her to remain in that particular job. The Admiralty had tea, boilersand all comforts - as far as that was possible in wartime!

All office staff were taught unarmed combat by an army instructor. It was quite fun but I don’t think we were good enough for it to have been of use if we had been attacked by the German soldiers if they had invaded Britain! The trainer’s daughter was accosted by someone one day and she did nothing except scream so the rest of us would probably have done the same!

I was already married when the war started. My husband was very keen to join the Airforce but because he was an engineer, he was sent to Morpeth as a surface mine engineer. Four times he received his travel warrant to Catterick and four times his journey was cancelled, but eventually he got there. Every time he had leave, the trains were so crowded that he had to stand for the whole journey, both to London and back to Morpeth. Because my husband was in a civilian occupation - even although the government had sent him there - I didn’t get any of the perks that service wives got.

I remember walking from Harrow to Wealstone and buying a sandwich in Woolworth’s. One day my mother and I were in Debenhams in Oxford Street when bombs fell. There were piles of earth and debris all over the street, and also bodies. We all formed a chain to pull out the people who were still alive under the rubble. Another time (much later on) I went for a coffee in Laronne coffee shop in Baker Street. The coffee place was in the front of the shop and behind that there was a restaurant. I was a bit surprised to be ushered into the latter when all I wanted was coffee and biscuits but didn’t say anything. There was a man there who came and sat at my table and started to dip his biscuits in my coffee. I didn’t say anything at first because I was so surprised and I thought he would stop, but he went on doing it. I didn’t know what to do as the staff seemed quite unconcerned about his behaviour. It turned out that it was a sort of Candid Camera stunt and I was offered the equivalent of 50p. for the shots they took. They all thought it was funny but I was most indignant!

There was a lot of sadness and horror during the war but there was also a lot of fun, and people looked out for others and helped whenever and wherever they could.

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