- Contributed by听
- greenhill2
- People in story:听
- Josephine Mitchell
- Location of story:听
- Edinburgh
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A2044144
- Contributed on:听
- 15 November 2003
In 1943 I was 14 and working as a Volunteer in the YMCA Forces Canteen in the Edinburgh Waverley station.Miss Darling (sister of war time Lord Provost)was in charge and sent for me as I was going off duty at about Noon one September day.She had a lady dressed in a navy colored military uniform with her.The lady had a cnsiderable amount of baggage an I was asked to take her along to the American Red Cross Club which was in a Princes Street hotel near Hanover st,She was a nurse lieutenant in the U.S.Army aged about 44 and was exhausted after travelling on a wartime London to Edinburgh train.Grabbing one of her bags I escorted her the half mile to the Club.During our walk I found out she was Josephine Mitchell from Redwood City in California and she was to take duty at the Club as Staff Nurse.
Of course I was late getting home that day but had been presented with two fresh doughnuts A Hershey bar and a pack of cigarettes for my parents.When they heard mmy story my father was sent back up town on the first tram to bring the lady home for a meal.Tired after her journey she declined until next day when I went to collect her.Jo as we came to call her was generous to a fault bearing in mind strict food rationing was in force tinned fruit candy cakes and butter were always brought when she visited.This carried on almost weekly until April 1944 when she was recalled to active duty in a MASH Field hospital prior to D day.We were all sorry to lose a dear friend who was ages with my mother.We never met again but kept in touch by letter following the Battles in Europe almost as they happened.But every Xmas from there until sometime in 1955 we heard from Jo.Sometimes it was a box of candy and sometimes some part worn clothes for us.
So that was the first American I ever met and in 1956 I joined BOAC and was able to visit the USA many many times its a great Country I think I was born on the wrong side of the Atlantic.,as I travelled the World in the course of my duty I always felt a buzz when arriving at LAX,SFO,NYC.or Chicago.I have family in the US now and am always welcome on vacations.
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