大象传媒

Although I have lived many years in Dundee, at the beginning of the war I was in Swansea. I was a secretary working in the office of Trinity House, the authority which looks after lighthouses around the coast. Our office was in the dockland area.

One day, we were suddenly aware of an aircraft overhead. We had not heard the siren but quickly got out and ran to the nearby shelter. As we ran, we were aware of gunfire as the plane swooped down over the docks. I will never forget the sound of that plane or the machine gun fire it poured out around us as we ran.

Even residential areas were affected : there was a gun post at the end of our road. Later, an unexploded bomb was found just outside my family home. We had to get out quickly, taking anything necessary with us. No doubt my parents took practical things : all I could think of to take were my precious books. The bomb was defused by the experts, no serious damage was done and we were allowed to go back home.

As the war continued, at times there was a lot of tension in the air and people were afraid that invasion was imminent.

Working for Trinity House, I was in a reserved occupation and was not called up, but later I volunteered for active service in W.A.A.F and served in the Signals department, stationed at the headquarters of fighter command. There I met some interesting people, one day bumping into Sir Winston Churchill and General Montgomery. It was a demanding job but it felt really worthwhile and I felt that I was making a small but real contribution to the war effort.

Nancy Small via Dundee Central Library

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