´óÏó´«Ã½

My sister was in the Land Army, it was her ambition to go, and sure enough, off she went. I remember her going — she went with a friend from down the road. She was stationed at a farm in Lincolnshire, and she used to come home one weekend a month.

I think she enjoyed it though, and she met a farmer and got married. I think many of them did you know.

My Father didn’t go in to the forces for medical reasons, and he became in the evenings what was known as a ‘fire watcher’. He’d be on top of a tall building with a pair of binoculars scanning the horizon for fires and then ringing the fire brigade.

He didn’t go out every night, but when he went it would be from about 10 o’ clock at night and return in the morning.

My Father also worked for a time at this ordnance depot that I mentioned. As I recall, some soldiers were due to go to Arnhem. They were training there, and my Father got friendly with them, and I remember they all came back to my house before they went off to Arnhem. Of course they never came back! Very sad.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Peter Roberts and has been added to the site with his permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Peter's stories:

• My Mother wouldn’t have that!
• That’s how it was done then
• They were machine-gunning us!
• Watching the prisoners
• Put them on show
• A much healthier option
• Make-shift weapons

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.