大象传媒

As a student exempt from military service, I was urged to 'do something for the war effort' during vacations. My mother though farm work would be too strenuous,so one summer I joined a group working in a munitions factory where a number of workers were becoming ill with jaundice and other problems because of their contact with TNT. Our group lived in the factory hostel and worked normal shifts, but every few days we had blood and urine tests.
After clocking in, we had to take off our top clothes, step over a barrier, and put on factory overalls; no jewelry, no metal tags on shoe laces (a blow from metal could detonate the TNT) and hair covered in scarf or cap. In fact many girls deliberately left the front hair uncovered; it became a golden blond; but you covered up quickly if the DBI (Danger Building Inspoector)came in sight! To be found with cigarette or matches merited immediate dismissal.
大象传媒 was filling anti-tank mines, four of us and a Blueband (regular forewoman) to each shop; shops were separated by banks of earth. We sang a lot as we mixed the liquid and biscuit TNT, except in the hours before dawn. Night shifts were always unpopular as air raids sometimes occurred then, and we held hands to navigate our way round the earth banks to the shelters.
We had one short and one longer break when we filed to the canteen for a meal and Workers' Playtime on the radio.
Only one of our 40-strong student group became ill, although we all developed yellow hands as if we were heavy smokers. We didn't have much opportunity to talk to regular workers, although we acquired some of their tricks, like hiding the broom share by several shops so that it could be found easily next time.
I worked for six weeks - a double sequence of morning, afternoon and night shifts, and went home yellow. Next year my mother agreed that farm work would be quite suitable!

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