大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Helen Oram, Scotland csv on behalf of Annie Mitchell. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

My war work was growing tatties and vegetables in the gardens at Stoneywood, Aberdeen. I also did greenhouse work there, growing tomatoes. We pushed barrow-loads of dung, wearing brown boiler suits and clogs. They hurt your feet. I painted the roofs at Stoneywood and the blockhouses, using khaki and green paint and camouflaging them to look like grass and roads. I tried to join the Land Army but was told I was already growing food. So I didn't get a uniform.

This was my full-time job till I got married in 1942. I left in 1943 because I became pregnant.

I remember the big bombing raid of April 21st on Aberdeen and the fear caused. I was five months pregnant at the time. I had been visiting a friend in the lane when the terrible bombing suddenly started. There was a big piano in the house and my thoughts were concentrated on hoping that it did not fall on me and kill the baby.

The later raids were not so bad. After I had given birth, I would wrap the baby in its shawl and run round the back of the house to the Anderson shelter when the alarm sounded. We could be in the shelter for hours.

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