´óÏó´«Ã½

A wartime wedding and honeymoon

(Mum and Dad were both in the NFS and met in Exeter in 1943 when dad was transferred from London.)

Gilbert and I had planned to be married at Easter 1944, but in January we heard that single girls would be transferred to Bristol before the end of March and brought it forward to the few days leave we had coming in February. So, we settled on February 26th. Then there was the question of clothes and a reception. Gilbert came and stayed at our house and we were able to save coupons for fruit, sugar, flour, butter etc. And Mr. Mc Claren, who had a baker’s, said he would make us a cake and ice it. One kind friend lent me a dress, another a lovely veil and I had white shoes of my own. I didn’t want flowers to carry so Gilbert gave me a white prayer book. I paid for my two bridesmaids’ dresses and they supplied the coupons.The ceremony was held in St Edmund's Church and it was freezing cold! The reception was held in our house and as friends and neighbours helped out with contributions of tinned meat and cheese it wasn't at all bad! The cake was wonderful!
We went to Clevedon for a 4-day honeymoon to my sister-in-law Nell’s house. Another sister-in-law, Rose and her two young children were staying with her for the duration of the war. The children were lovely. Little Brenda would stand at the gate and ask, ’Everyone got your gas mask?’- she was about four, I think.
We couldn’t go far as money was tight. The beach was all barbed wire everywhere. We did go to Weston-Super-Mare. There were service men and women everywhere, great big guns all along the sea front and big cement pill boxes with soldiers or air men on duty. It really was a miserable sight.
The part I remember most vividly of all though is dad lifting my veil and saying, ‘Hello, Mrs Chard.’ It sounded GREAT!

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