´óÏó´«Ã½

When you first started to learn the marches, you had a job getting your legs right. It was comical — you could have a good laugh. The people in charge didn’t think it was so funny though.

We used to have to march and the time we had to do it was on a Sunday morning, when there was a service on. We marched through Bury in Lancashire. It took quite a bit, and then you’d stop marching and you’d have to get ready to go back to the barracks.

It was very, very tough when you were marching you know — I mean you’d never marched before — you had high heels on! By the left, and off you go. You only marched in them ‘cause you didn’t know anything about the army. You’d gone in and you’d got your high heels on.

Our uniform wasn’t bad, it was a cap, and a skirt and shirts, khaki shirts — which all looked very smart. You did your best with it to keep it tidy.

There was a washing place and we went when we needed it really. You used to spend the afternoon pressing your uniform because that was the one thing you had to do. You had to look as smart as possible, and we did look smart, very smart.

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 Mary Woolley and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See also more of Mary's stories:

• 'You have to go, that's that'
• Fully Fashioned
• Just desserts
• Big cakes
• 'Get off the streets'

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