大象传媒

re: my aunt, Ethel Madge Pursglove (b. 25.08.23). Service no. 64113. Told in her own words.

When war was declared on 3 September 1939, I was 16 years and 9 days old, with reasonable School Certificate results just attained. I stayed on at school, Manchester High School for Girls, a further two years, following a secretarial course. The school was evacuated to Cheadle Hulme, a few miles south of Manchester in Cheshire and not all that far from my home in Didsbury. For half a term I stayed with a contemporary's family in Cheadle, but after a slight contretemps with my hostess, returned to living at home and bussed or cycled to Cheadle Hulme. I was very shy then and I suppose rather gauche.
In September 1940 the school moved back to Manchester, to a fresh site (the original building having been taken over by the University), but then came the December blitz on the city and a land mine put paid to the buildings. I recall being asked (why me, goodness only knows!) to accompany the Head Mistress, together with the Secretary and the Clerk to the Governors, to help rescue and sort out items, such as books, for further use. In the meantime, the school was accommodated in three different buildings in West Didsbury and the life of learning resumed.
I think it was during an air raid at this time that we experienced damage from an incendiary bomb that somehow came through into my bedroom at the front of the house in 10 Elmsmere Road, Didsbury. It caused the mattress to smoulder and lodged at the bottom of the wardrobe. My brother Denis was home on sick leave from his regiment at the time. When he went out to see if all was well, he called out "Who's left the landing light on?" then realised there was a fire. He dashed out for a sandbag at the base of the lamp-post opposite our front gate and the stirrup pump was put into action although, for once, there was no water in the bath awaiting such an event. The mattress was hustled out into the back garden and the fire put out. Some clothing was damaged beyond use, of course.
In July 1941 I left school at 12.00 noon and was back there the same day at 2.00 p.m. in the capacity of office junior. Duties included fire-watching during the night with different members of teaching staff - a great trial to me as I was no conversationalist! I also occasionally went with my eldest sister Kathleen to help man a rest centre in Didsbury. I also started being a blood donor.
In due course I was called on to register for some kind of war service and I opted for the WRNS, although there were no naval connections in the family. However, I was accepted eventually and on 22 July 1943, in much trepidation as this was the first time I had travelled on my own, made my way to London and the training establishment at Mill Hill for a fortnight's induction course, including 'scrubbing the deck'. After a further week at Westfield College, London, I failed to make the grade as a teleprinter operator and was earmarked to join the Signals Distribution Office of some 'ship' somewhere. I was drafted to Westcliffe-on-Sea, Essex, 'on hold' with others awaiting a definite posting, and was there about six weeks. Drilling, marching, PT, spud-bashing, and helping at men's pay parade occupied the days. While there, I went to the Baptist Church and met a lovely lady and made friends with other Wrens and ATS girls of like mind. When off-duty permitted I also helped in the Forces Canteen held at the church.
Then came the draft to HMS Copra in London - on the Chelsea Embankment - for service as a typist in the Signals Distribution Office (SDO). This involved working 'watches', so one had to get used to working at odd times of the day and night and fitting in sleep in between. Being in London, we were, of course, subject to air raids and, again, fire-watching duties were included. HMS Copra, by the way, was an establishment concentrating on Combined Operations and I believe the acronym COPRA stood for Combined Operations Personnel, Records and Accounts (or Administration). One highlight was an inspection of Wrens by the Duchess of Kent who was at the time Commandant WRNS. I remember being surprised how small in stature she was. Once more I tracked down a Baptist Chapel, this time in Battersea, where a couple of folk took pity on me and had me to meals sometimes.
In late Spring 1944 we sensed that something was afoot from the signals that passed through our hands and, sure enough, there were the D-Day landings in June.
Soon after the 'doodlebugs' (V1 rockets) started coming over London, we had to up sticks and personnel were divided, some (I among them) to Westcliffe (again!) and others to Largs in Ayrshire. I renewed acquaintance with the Baptist Church and plodded on. My only sea-going experience was during this time when I went out from Southend Pier in a tug boat which was delivering mail and supplies to ships anchored off-shore.
On 1 May 1945 I had a week's leave. It was snowing and jolly cold waiting at the railway station to start my journey home. VE Day was announced while I was at home, but the extra day's leave granted for the occasion had to come later.
In the autumn of 1945 we were on the move again and the Westcliffe Copra-ites had a long journey through the night to join the other half at Largs, where I saw out the final few months of my service. It was a very pleasant area to be in, in fact. Here I learned how to raise and lower a flag at the start and end of the day, a job allocated to the SDO watchkeepers. If I remember rightly, on one cold and blustery day, a group of us Wrens went to Greenock to witness the bestowing of some honour on General de Gaulle.
2 April 1946 was my discharge day. Another long journey to reach home, but with the prospect of a civilian job already at hand, thanks to a friend who was then the Head Mistress' secretary at my former school. I got the job, so all was well that ended well.
E Madge Pursglove
20 July 2004

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