大象传媒

This story has been written onto the 大象传媒 People鈥檚 War site by CSV Storygatherer Robin.D.Bailey on behalf of the author Irene Thompson (nee Light). They fully understand the terms and conditions of the site.

During the recent Victory Celebrations (2005) many memories of the Land Army were re-called, but what a pity that West Cornwall鈥檚 own 1st Cornwall Company A.T.S. seems to be lost in time.

It was formed early in 1939, Mrs Blair, a doctor鈥檚 wife from Camborne was its first Company Commander; Mrs Crosbie Garstin (in later years to become a Mayor of Penzance) was her second-in-command, and a formidable Mrs Milner was the Sergeant Major.

I was 18 years of age, when Mrs Garstin descended on me, having decided, I was just what they were looking for 鈥淲e must get younger people into the service.鈥� Early on, volunteers seemed to be more matronly. Thus, I volunteered in April 1939.

Shortly afterwards, the uniforms arrived. They were awful! I couldn鈥檛 believe they would help in any way to recruit more young volunteers. However, they did, and in time the uniforms were improved upon.

Our existence may have been forgotten NOW, but we were very newsworthy in 1939. We appeared in the local press on a recruiting parade in Falmouth and the Western Morning News descended on us in Somerset, when we went to camp with the Regiment in Watchet. More photographs, and Mrs Blair gave a very detailed interview covering our activities and praising our loyalty in coming forward to serve our country voluntarily.

Once a week, we were drilled by the R.S.Ms. in the Drill Halls at Penzance and Helston. Did a bit of First Aid, but I don鈥檛 think any of us realised quite what we were in for, when on 27th August at 24 hours notice, we were 鈥渃alled up鈥� to accompany the 56th H.A.A. Regiment R.A. to South Raglan Barracks in Plymouth.

We and the 1st Kents were the first A.T.S Companies to accompany their Regiments to war. War, was of course, declared on the following Sunday.

Not all T.A. Colonels wanted to be saddled with their A.T.S. units during wartime, but Brigadier Banbary, a true Cornishman if ever there was one, requested special permission from the War Office for us to accompany the Regiment and Colonel J. Daniel from St. Ives seemed quite happy to have us.

Yet more press photographs for the Western Morning News to publish of us now going about our wartime duties.

In November 1940, I was posted as a clerk to 55 A.A. Bde H.Q. in Exeter, but in January 1941 our Brigadier brought his H.Q. back to Cornwall and we were stationed at Redruth. Until this time, the Company was for the most part 鈥淐ornish鈥�, but gradually as recruiting began in earnest, we received personnel from all over the country.

After doing an N.C.O鈥檚 course, I was promoted within the A.T.S. Group and returned to Plymouth in 1943 as Sergeant Major, when sadly owing to Group re-organisation, the 1st Cornwall Company A.T.S. was re-designated 鈥淎鈥� Company, 55 A.A. Brigade R.A.

I finally left the Company in January 1944 to become a Commissioned Officer and continued to serve until December 1945.

No regrets, whatsoever, at volunteering in 1939; It was a lovely Company and I am sure those early volunteers from West Cornwall set a wonderful example for the others to follow throughout the war years.

They should be remembered!

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