´óÏó´«Ã½

This is Rhoda Brown’s (nee Petty Officer Elkington) story: it has been added by Pauline Colcutt (on behalf of the Fernhurst Centre), with permission from the author who understands the terms and conditions of adding her story to the website.

For strategic reasons in early autumn 1944 I was moved to Coverack in Cornwall. As I was getting married in December I was granted a companionate posting to Wimbledon to enable me to arrange the wedding from my home in South London. However, I could only go home in my off-duty hours and could only get ‘sleeping out’ pass after I was married! The American Red Cross sent over a selection of beautiful wedding dresses and we were allowed to hire a dress of our choosing for the price of the cleaning which was 10 shillings. I had to go up to London and had a wonderful day trying on the dresses — I felt really special as my only clothes then were my uniform and whatever clothes I could buy with my clothing coupons.

It was an absolutely beautiful dress with a long train - but due to wartime it was not possible for me to have any bridesmaids so my three year old nephew acted as an impromptu page boy and held my train. I was married at St Augustine’s Church, Tooting during my Christmas leave on 23 December 1944. As the war progressed favourably I was discharged early in 1945 and resumed my pre-war occupation as a secretary.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.