- Contributed by听
- Civic Centre, Bedford
- People in story:听
- Peggy Simmons (nee Cocks)
- Location of story:听
- London
- Background to story:听
- Royal Air Force
- Article ID:听
- A2691867
- Contributed on:听
- 02 June 2004
Peggy Cocks in 1945
Douglas Bader flew with two artificial legs, but I think I was the only servicewoman driver with one leg.
I joined the WAAF in 1942 and trained in Blackpool, my test being taken in a three ton lorry on a Saturday afternoon in August. After that experience I was based at Moon's Garage, Horseferry Road, London, where I worked as a driver.
On 24th February 1944 I was returning from the Queen's Ice Rink, Bayswater, on foot (Gloucester Street) when there was an air raid near Victoria Station. An enemy plane was caught in the search lights and jettisoned its bomb load. These blew up across the street, and I was hit by part of a bomb and lost my left leg. There was no pain - I can remember people asking me the phone number of my next of kin which I gave them. I did not lose consciousness. I nearly died, loss of blood, etc. I was taken to Westminster Hospital where I remained for four weeks. When I arrived I said that I had never had so many men around me at that time of night. After a while I was allowed to sit out on the first floor balcony. Then one day I received a letter addressed to "The lady in the green dressing gown on the first floor balcony". He said he was a civil servant and had noticed me, and would like to meet me. He said that the next day as he passed by he would raise his hat so I would know who he was. You can imagine that the nurses found this very amusing and looked out for the man lifting his hat from behind the curtains. We did meet but that was the end of the story.
After leaving hospital I went home to my parents at Abbots Langley in Hertfordshire. I went to Roehampton Limb Fitting Centre in south west London as an outpatient. It was several months before my artificial leg was ready for me. Then I had to relearn to cycle, ride a horse, drive, dance, swim, sail and canoe. Later I did rock climbing and abseiling. My parents were wonderful and encouraged me in my recovery, and never tried to stop me trying to do things.
When I was fit for service the WAAF offered me an office job, but I wanted to drive again. They took some convincing, but I was reinstated as a driver after I passed a further test. I drove VIPs all over England until the end of the war.
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