大象传媒

I was going up north to Newcastle to meet my Fiance's family. Newcastle being a very cold place, I wanted warmth and to look smart. Knowing I did not have enough coupons, (clothes rationing came into force in 1941) I bought a lovely plaid blanket to make into a winter coat. I had enough material left over for my mother to make a little Glengarry - a true Scottish hat. It was a very smart outfit and I was delighted to write and inform my future in-laws how 1 would be dressed, as they were picking me up from Newcastle Station. It was October; the train at Kings Cross was packed but I managed to get a window seat. Along the corridor the corridor were many Army recruits and a good way into the journey, two men in uniform came in and started to pester me about my outfit, especially the Glengarry. Unfortunately no one in the packed carriage came to my assistance. Eventually, I was so tired of the pestering that when they asked me if they could take it away to show the other men, and promised to bring it back, I let them. Of course, they did not bring it back. One of them came back to say sorry because he had not got it. I was devastated. I had specially told my future father-in-law about the hat so that they would recognize me, so I followed this chap out of the carriage right to the end of the train. I realized he had put his head out of the window with my hat on and had lost it. I was furious so I demanded to know his name and unit and their address, which he gave me.
When I met my future in-laws they recognized the coat and said `Where is the hat'? I just said I had lost it. No more was said but on telling my Father, when I returned home, he was extremely annoyed and wrote to the Battalion Commander saying just because they were in the King's uniform they should still act like gentlemen. The Commander wrote back and apologized. It was a most unpleasant journey. Obviously, they had been drinking and thought all a big joke - to me it was long and miserable journey. Leave for my Fiance was very limited, as fully laden oil tankers, when they came back - into port here in the UK, needed a quick turn around; having discharged their load they needed to connect with the next Atlantic convoy heading back to New York and beyond.
My Chief Engineer Fiance, had to stay on board and I went to see him at various ports.
Wedding Preparations 1943
Our wedding was to be in November 1943. I hoped my future husband could make it! The preparations were difficult. I had no coupons for a dress but was delighted when my fiance returned from a long voyage and presented me a parcel in which contained yards of satin and chiffon material. He also brought a paper pattern for a wedding dress, which was taken from a little picture I had kept since I was a little girl. My mother must have given it to my fiance who, on his voyage to Venezuela via New York, took the picture to Macy's in New York. He asked Macy's if they could make a pattern of the wedding dress and recommend the type of material he should purchase. But he only had two days before the ship sailed. They said `yes', they would do this for him in the short time, and asked the time of year of the wedding so that they could advise him of the correct material. My mother was an excellent seamstress and it turned out just as I had wished. It was all a surprise to me - a jacket with ruffles and a skirt with a train.
One of the officers on the ship was a friend of ours, whose future wife was in the Officers Naval Club, and the girls sent me silk stockings. But shoes were a question. I needed a walking pair. I had no more coupons so I bought a pair of clogs. They had leather tops with wooden soles, which had a hinge on them, very similar to Dutch clogs, only much smarter. They made rather a noise on the footpath when walking. Unfortunately my best friend had written to say that she could not get leave from the WRAF to be my bridesmaid. Many friends and relations were unable to come to the wedding, as the war demanded their services.
Food for the Wedding
Autumn 1943
Walking down the Epsom Upper High Street one day, I passed a delightful little coffee shop called the Crocus. A notice in the window said `wedding cake for sale, made with butter, eggs, sugar and icing sugar'. On rations, one could not buy a wedding cake from a baker, or make one, so I went in to the coffee shop and bought it. It was so delightful, and two tiered. I didn't ask why the wedding cake was not wanted as it may have been due to sadness.
My fiance was able to bring food from America, which was a tremendous help. It was difficult to purchase wedding cards, but we received many telegrams from them wishing us luck. On the very last few days, the best man was unable to come, due to war duties that came up.
My fiance鈥檚 uniform had to be altered as the Ensignships on the uniform had to be altered, as it gave spies information on shipping companies and convoys. So, only the Merchant Navy's emblems on uniforms, and the commission of the serving officer, were to be worn.
On meeting my husband after an Atlantic run through a convoy, he told me how he had been blown across the engine room floor. He suffered from shock and damaged a watch he had bought for me.
I arrived late at night and it was very dark, to visit my husband, when his ship was at port in the UK. The only lights on were over the main deck, where men were working. The only way to get on board was to walk a plank of wood, and it was so dark I had to have assistance to guide me on board. I then realised that the brightest light of a11 shone on the First Officer, who was in his peach satin pyjamas, standing on the bridge shouting at the men below. At breakfast the following morning, I admired his satin pyjamas. He was shocked and could not believe I was there.
Another time, I arrived at the ship as she was moving through a lock, with hardly 1-2 foot between the ship and the lock side. The four office officials from Head Quarters arrived, and climbed over onto the deck, leaving me to climb over. As I did so, I caught my heel on the top rail and fell; I remember the incident so well. I thought, if I go between the ship and the lock side, I will be in a jam! I fell with a tremendous thump on my back on the deck. The Master's wife saw it all and came down from the bridge to see the men who had picked me up, and to say that the back of my coat was covered in oil. I recovered very quickly with no injuries, and to my amazement there was not a sign of oil on my coat at all. By this time, my husband arrived to see what was happening, but I can still remember to this day, that I might have been in a jam!
Identity Card
By law you had to carry your gas mask, and also your identity card. If you should move house, your card had to be stamped by an official. I didn't hear anyone grumble about this, though I did move several times.
1944
In 1944, I sailed from Avonmouth to Liverpool. The sea was so rough, the wind was howling, and I was so ill. The ship could not get into Liverpool. I wished that I had left the ship and gone by train. I had to be signed on the M.N. list as every passenger had to be listed in case the ship was sunk.
I was called up; but being married, and soon to be expecting a baby, my call up was void.
One day, I had heard a T1 rocket coming down. The engine had cut out and I jumped down three to four stairs to get to the dining room where the iron bomb shelter was. Jumping down stairs was not a wise thing to do while expecting a baby. I decided to go to Newcastle, where my husband was, with his parents, waiting for his next voyage. And so, my baby girl was born in Newcastle.
1945
In January, I had to go down to Tilbury to see my husband, who was on the Empire Salisbury, and only going to be in port for 24 hours. The V2 bombs were still falling over London. I felt very nervous on the journey to Tilbury, until I was on board the ship, which was heavily laden with oil. Then I felt completely safe. With the V 1 rocket, when the engine cut out one knew one had time to jump or run for cover. This was not the case with the V2 - it was a silent rocket.
6th May. My daughter was a year old when the war ended in Europe.
3rd September 1945. My husband i1a to continue his voyage on the Empire Salisbury oiling the fleet around Japan, until the Japanese surrendered.
1946
4th August. He came home a year later, sailing into Birkenhead. I was there to greet him, with our two year old daughter. What a surprise. I heard he was the heaviest man on board, weighing only seven stone. All the food board was condemned. It looked awful, with live insects running in the sugar and the cooked rice was inedible. All the food that was left onboard was cleared off the ship in a day.
2005
On searching through the archives in my attic, I came across a newspaper cutting of an article about me, honouring my school for my athletic achievements in sport. On leaving Kingston, to move to Epsom in 1939, I tried to continue my 100-150 yard running, and high jump, but the local Epsom Harriers did cross-country running, which was not my interest. Unfortunately, with the arrival of the war, all sport came to an end. If there had not been a war, I wondered how different my live would have been.

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