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I worked at BTH in Rugby in munitions making parts for the planes.
Five times a week we were taken in on the bus — it was a fortnight days and a fortnight nights.
The machine I was on made parts. It was a machine that did the drilling and made the screws.
We used to get as far as Shearsby and then the bus would skid and we’d end up in a field during the bad weather.
We would go to the canteen for our meals.
We were there when they bombed Coventry.
When we were on nights we would hear the sirens go — the management would nod his head and we would go into the shelters — but the shelters were in the factory.

We didn’t go out much.
My mother wouldn’t get up when the sirens went off — she would stay in bed.
There was a big field — the shelter was at the top of the lane.
We didn’t go into it — we would stand on the front door step.
It was a bit scary at times.

I was married in 1942. I met a fellow called ‘Hugh’ but called him Jack. We met at work. It was a nice wedding. I had a white dress and a head dress and a veil.
We managed to get a reception and people helped.
I had four bridesmaids — my two nieces and my two brothers girlfriends.
We had a fruit cake — from the Co-op.
My wedding outfit cost me £16.00 and a few shillings.
I had an ostrich feather for a head dress.
We lived with my mum in Wigston.

The majority of us celebrated on what we called ‘the bank’ when the war was over.

‘This story was submitted to the People’s War website by Lisa Reeves of CSV Action Desk Leicester on behalf of Doris Merritt and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the sites terms and conditions.’

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