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I was about 22 years old, training to be a midwife. One particular night, I had a throat infection though, so could not work on the midwifery ward and instead, was put on the ward for old ladies.
It was evening and we had put up the black boards on the windows because of the blackout. There were enemy planes flying nearby and guns were shooting at them. The shrapnel was falling down and making a very load noise on the corrugated tin roof of the ward I was on. I only had one candle, in a candle holder, to make my way around the ward seeing to patients. I was trying to comfort the old ladies saying ‘the bombs are miles off’ but in fact, I was terrified myself. As I was telling one woman not to worry, I remember trying to place the candle down, but my hand was shaking so much that it rattled against the table and I couldn’t put it down.

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