大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the People's War site by the Barnsley Archives and Local Studies Department on behalf of Constance Burton and has been added to the site with his/her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions."
I worked in the Tank Factory at Sprotborough, Doncaster. I was making the caterpillar tracks for the Centurian Tanks.

It was very dusty and we had to wear scarves over our heads.

We had to go up in the top sand bay and back sand was poured out of hoppers into moulds below. The hoppers had to be kept filled all the time and this black sand poured down and we were covered in dust.

We moved round the different jobs on like a conveyor system.

I was 14 when I started and a special bus picked us up at 4 o鈥檆lock in the morning. It picked up on the way and we had to be clocked in on our machine at 6 o鈥檆lock. I was brought up in care as my mother and father were both dead.

The lady who brought me up was cruel to me and knocked me about.

I had a slice of bread with lard for my breakfast. Lunch was a slice of brad and dripping and a pot of tea for 1d. we used to watch ENSA because they travelled round entertaining.

After the war I worked in the pit canteen.

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