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I was called up as a mobile VAD at the start of the war. I was based at a primary school in Brighton, which had been turned into a hospital. I, together with 3 other VADs and a driver, collected people who were ill and not fit for duty.

In 1940, I was posted to a base military hospital in Woolwich for one month. German bombers were very active at that time so we nursing staff used to sleep in the store rooms in the basement. We would go back to our rooms to brush up in the morning before going on duty. On one occasion, there was a lot of bombing going on near us and we found out in the morning that bombs had been dropped on the Sisters’ Quarters. When the alarm went off in the daytime, we took the patients to the basement and then back when the all clear was given. There were many German prisoners of war in wards at the top of the hospital. They were not taken to the basement as the Colonel said that the Germans are bombing us so what was the point.
In the married quarters, there was a shelter where we stayed most nights as there were so many bomb alarms. We would go back to bed at four or five in the morning.

I was transferred to Cambridge Hospital at Aldershot in 1943; then on to East Grinstead Camp Reception Centre for six months. Later at my request, I drew for Sir Harold Gillie, an army plastic surgeon and his team at Basingstoke. As there was not enough to do apart from folding up and mending linen, I put my name down to go abroad as a Welfare Officer. I had to go in front of a Board. Twelve of us were accepted — six to go to Cairo and another six to go to North Africa. I swapped destinations with a VAD who wished to go to North Africa as she knew someone special there. So I went to the military hospital at Helmeak, six miles outside Cairo. Cairo was an amazing place at that time. The desert war was over and everyone preparing to go to Italy, went on leave to Egypt so there were always people around who I knew.

After 18 months, I moved to the Suez Canal area. I had the welfare officers from six hospitals under me. We tried to keep patients entertained. We had a bus and driver so took the patients out for picnics. We also organised concerts. As the war ended we received prisoners of war from Russia at Port Said for reshipping to England. We also looked after Indian troops en route home to India. We organised football matches and dances. Prisoners of war from the Far East came through Suez. Many were women and children. We supplied them with clothes. The Ordnance Corp Workshops produced toys and organised activities for the children.

For 18 months after the departure of my superior, I became Chief Welfare Officer for the Middle East covering countries like Iran, Syria, Palestine and Sudan.

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