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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Vijiha Bashir, at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland on behalf of H. Meikle from Kilbarchan and has been added to the site with the permission of Johnstone History Society. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

Serving with the A.T.S. — Royal Artillery — Reme, (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers)

I trained in Edinburgh & Workington Court, Durham and went for a course in operating guns to Andover Hampshire. My time spent in the war was horrendous at times but I served it all thankfully.

I will never forget the training at Glencorse Barracks when part of out training was to learn how to use GAS masks. I along with the others had to enter the Gas Chambers with my gas mask on, then when we were ordered to remove the masks whilst still in the chamber, I thought that I was going to die there and then, but I didn’t. The training times with the gas masks and chamber lasted hours.

One of the other times I remember was when I went to London with some of the other girls on a 48 hour pass and we got beds for the night in a top flat of the YWCA. We were all asleep when suddenly Buzz Bombs were sounding all around. We were terrified!

When I was demobbed I went home and returned to my work in Coats Mill, Paisley. Married and started a new chapter in my life.

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