- Contributed by听
- Stockton Libraries
- People in story:听
- Dorothy Pope
- Location of story:听
- Nottingham
- Background to story:听
- Army
- Article ID:听
- A4820249
- Contributed on:听
- 05 August 2005
(Continuation of THE ARMY POST OFFICE IN WW2)
In 1945 when the war in Europe was over the houses we were billeted in were returned to their pre-war owners and we were moved out to the now deserted Ack Ack (Anti Aircraft) camp at nearby Clifton Village. We were in prefabricated iron huts with outside showers, wash basins and toilet facilities. Heating was from a coke stove in the centre of each hut, which filled the place with smoke and sometimes we had no fuel to keep it going, so we piled great coats onto our wooden beds to keep warm at night. There was also a Rediffusion loudspeaker and we were lulled to sleep by the velvety tones of a man's voice from AFN Munich, Stuttgart, singing 'Out of my Dreams' from Carousel. Then an unseen hand would switch it off at about 11 pm. We were 'bussed' into work each day, but in February 1946 there were disastrous floods in Nottingham so on a couple of days we were unable to get through. We didn't mind that of course.
As the tide of war went well for the allies, some of the men were sent back to this country and were transferred to Nottingham, working beside us, filling the places of other postal workers going abroad ~ such as a quite big contingent of REPS who were sent out to India and Singapore from the office. As demobilisation got under way after the end of the war, the married girls and older men, some of whom were volunteers around 60 years old, began to leave and National Service men arrived to carry on the good work in peace time. I was demobilised on March 1st 1946 after over three years in the Army Post Office and went back to my civilian job in Harrogate in the Accountant General's Office. A year later I married and returned to Middlesbrough to live.
All in all it was a satisfying job, perhaps not as dangerous as the brave Ack Ack girls, but still a necessary job and we helped keep up the morale of those men who fought overseas for us. From being a very naive young woman I learned a lot about life and never regretted my time in the ATS and particularly the Army Post Office. Now the service is part of the Royal Logistic Corps, and known as the Postal and Courier Service. As long as there is an army and air force there will be postal works, as now in Irag. I believe the Royal Navy and Diplomatic mail is also now handled by the Army Post Office.
We have had a thriving Army Post Office Association since 1981 and though the numbers are diminishing, it is still going strong and in June this year (2005) we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe and Far East, with several ceremonies in Llandudno where our APA reunions are now held. We may be old in age but still young at heart and cherish our comradeship of those sometimes sad years. I still have friends from those days and we forrespond with each other or even visit. Happy memories.
Ex. W231334 Pelmear D. L/Cpl. R.E.P.S.
漏 Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.
Recommended story
Story with photo