大象传媒

This story has been added to The People鈥檚 War Website by CSV Volunteer Olivia Davey on behalf of the author Daphne R. Harris who understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

My War service started really in 1940. I had wanted to join the Land Army but they told me to re-apply in three months time as they had so many applicants. Then I heard that the Richmond A.R.P. were needing drivers and Attendants so I joined them. My driving experience was 6 half hour lessons after which I was asked to drive through Ealing Broadway and I had it seemed, passed the test. When I first turned up at the Victorian building which had been a school I was given a Lefthand drive Packard which had been converted into an Ambulance. It seemed enormous to me. There were no windows at the back, and of course we would be driving in the dark most of the time. I was given a test run in daylight following the stretcher car and everyone seemed happy about my performance. I was not so sanguine! I drove at night once with no lights, and then there was an S.O.S. for Attendants. So conscious of my inexperience compared to the other drivers I volunteered to be an Attendant.

I was sent up to 鈥楾he Star and Garter Home鈥� for lessons in First Aid. I passed the Test more by luck than judgement and there I was an Attendant with a great deal of enthusiasm, but very little knowledge.

My driver was a refugee from Greece. She had very little English, but we both had a smattering of French which we used when all else failed. By the time the Biltz came in full force, we had formed a good relationship and her English was greatly improved. We were on duty 24 hours on alternate days. We slept in one of the basement rooms, 40 of us, men and women in 4 tier bunks. My friend and I chose top bunks. The sounds coming from the sleepers were really funny at times. All varieties of snoring. Some ground their teeth. One Spanish boy excitedly called out 鈥淚 Luff you鈥� (he had a passion for one of the girls.) Despite all this, one became used to it and we did manage to get a bit of sleep, until the sirens went.

Richmond was just outside the London area which bore the brunt of the bombing. However, we did have our share. On one of the bad evenings, I had my first real casualty - She was a Belgian lady. We heard afterwards that she, with her husband and son had come across the channel in a small boat and had just that day been moved into a house locally. It had been wrecked that night and she was our only patient. We assumed her family had been killed. I did what I could for her in the short journey to the Hospital. I have often wondered since what happened to her. It all seemed so tragic.

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