大象传媒

Patricia Martin is willing to have her story entered onto the People's War website and agrees to abide by the House Rules.

Just before I left the Torquay Girl's Grammar School, (not achieving my School Certificate) we were bombed out on September 4th 1942. With no habitable home, I had to stay with a friend while my parents were at my Aunt's home in Babbacombe. My father, a dentist had been struggling to keep the practice in working order at our bombed out shell of a home. But by some miracle, the surgery and the dental equipment was intact except for one small glass jar! My father always said that it was because the unit had been made by a German company - can't remember if it was Ritter or Siemans! His nurse a Miss Gilbert did not like having to sweep out the rainwater which seeped into the hallway. The waiting room had been blown away and the entrance was almost entirely open to the elements. The contents of my home were nearly all gone, a few things survived such as my mother's lovely Chinese vase and her writing bureau. Few items belonging to the kitchen remained and nothing intact in the airing cupboard! My dancing medals were rescued and are still in my possession. (What use are they?) When the nurse left rather hurriedly, I volunteered to work for my father who was delighted. I was trained well! He was quite a firm teacher but I took to the job like a duck to water. By the grim time after Christmas I was competent enough to accompany him on 'house visits' where we called on patients who were unable to attend the surgery. There was no 'Health Service' then. This was an interesting time for me, routine for my father. My first attendance at a 'clearance' might have put many a youngster off the job but by the time I attended a visit I was well able to hand over the items needed without being asked, and to count the extracted teeth and catch them in a kidney dish! Some time during early Spring I was offered the post of School Dental Nurse for the Devon County Council which although I did not want to leave my father, it was a tempting prospect. Mr Smith, my new 'boss' had trained at Guy's Hospital like my father, so my training suited 'Sniffy Smiffy' as I came to call him as he used to give a little sniff from time to time and stroke his moustache! We had to visit many schools in the area around Newton Abbot, mostly small places with perhaps only one teacher and one schoolroom for children of different ages. Other schools were large like the Grammar School in Teignmouth and an evacuated school which had the wonderful name of Haberdasher Aske's. The boys there were all about the same age as me and most of them would soon be in a different uniform. I recall a popular tune at the time was 'Nursie come over here and hold my hand'. This was whistled as I walked by or openly sung to me! To me that was so flattering. Some of my routine when having arrived at the designated school was to my mind a terrible waste of time. First the enourmous suitcase had to be emptied and all instruments laid out on a white cloth on a table which was necessary. Also I had to make sure 'Sniffy's white coat was ready for him and I was correctly dressed in my white coat and white nurse's headgear. Meanwhile 'Sniffy' erected the portable manual foot treadle 'drill' and placed it by the dental chair. Then when he had disappeared (having a chat with the teachers) I had to burnish the suitcase with a special polish. This was quite hard work and had to be completed quickly. That was not all! I next had to apply 'brasso' to all the locks and bits on that 'so and so' suitcase. I think on reflection it was a good discipline for me! My role then was to collect all the information cards of the children who were to be examined. As each child was seen, the appropriate treatment had to be recorded (by me). Later a list was drawn up and appointments doled out to those who would be attended to later that day or next day. Sometimes a parent was unable to come at the time stated and I would be asked if the time could be altered so they could attend. Often this was accompanied by the tempting offer 'Mum says if you can change the appointment to this afternoon (or tomorrow) she will bring you some eggs, butter of cream.' Was I bribed? Of couse I was! Such country items were scarce, rationed or forbidden. A few parents refused School Dental Treatment, saying they would prefer a 'proper dentist!' Dear old 'Sniffy' was an extremely well qualified Guy's man but it was often only an excuse for negligence as the child's dental record showed a gradual deterioration. Often after a couple of years this led to an extraction which had been avoidable. Major treatments such as several extractions were dealt with at the Newton Abbot clinic. This was a diversion for me as I had to work with a rather dragon-like nurse who ran the clinic like a major hospital. Here I was 'very junior' and below contempt! The clinic not only provided the administering of 'gas' to the children sent there by 'Sniffy' and other dentists, but treatment for pregnant women and nursing mothers too. Some of these persons were far from attractive as they were sometimes harbouring a flea or two! We were always glad when their treatment had been accomplished! I continued with the service until 1946 when I returned to private practice.

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