大象传媒

I was still at school at Ilminster Grammar School, Somerset, in 1939, and left in 1941. I went to Bath and worked in the Admiralty for one year. I was there when Bath was bombed, living in a YWCA hostel for Admiralty employees. We had a call from the fire service during the night for people to man the canteen for the fire brigade. Three of us (the youngest) volunteered. I remember running down Pultney Street, zigzagging between the trees because enemy planes were machine gunning the street. We were unhurt. We made gallons of tea and piles of sandwiches for teams who came in whenever they could. It was a weekend and we worked from Saturday evening until late on Sunday. We were in the office at 9am on Monday.

I joined the ATS in August 1942. I trained as a Radar Operator, and was kept at Training Camp as an instructor. (I had wanted to be out on site.) In 1944 I went to OCTU and became a Commissioned Officer in August 1944. After this I was posted to 27th HAA Regt as a Subaltern.

I was still 18 in August 1942 when my CO greeted me with 鈥渙f what possible use will you be to me as an officer at 18?鈥� I replied 鈥淏etter brains than mine have decided I will be suitable, Sir.鈥� (The full implications of my reply did not occur to me until long afterwards!)

I left the ATS when I married a Captain in the RA in August 1946. He became a regular army officer at the end of the war and I moved whenever he did. In 1950 my daughter was born and in 1952 he was posted to Hong Kong. I went with him. I loved the life in the colony. We had three servants including a baby amah for my daughter so I was able to work in the passport office. We came home in 1955. I had two sons in April 1955 and December 1956. My husband stayed in the army until he retired in 1979. I trained as a teacher in 1942-46 and retired in 1966. I was elected to Greenwich Borough Council in 1986 and am still serving as such.

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