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So many don’t realise — the air raids, the shortages, what everybody put up with. But everybody was so united. Everybody was as one; there was no division at all. A wonderful atmosphere really, but a very sad time.

I remember the day it ended 60 years ago. I was in the forces. You can imagine how we celebrated. In about 1945 they started giving the men leave; although Marsh didn’t come back ‘til the end of 1945, and it was then we got engaged. He was demobilised in February ’47, and we were married in April ’47.

We have so much to thank them for — what they did. What a different world it would have been if we hadn’t come out victorious in the war.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Mary Pritchard and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Mary’s stories:

• Worse than hell at times
• Spending a well-earned penny
• Friends together
• A real rough diamond
• Labelled
• Love binds forever faithful hearts
• Non-Fraternisation
• Thanksgiving service
• How to use this book
• Clothing books
• Marsh’s Medals
• Joining Up
• One to keep
• Names in a hat
• Too terrible to tell
• Tyne Tees Badge
• Cards to Mother
• 11th Armoured Division Badge
• Flensburg Christmas 1945
• KSLI Badge
• Homeguard Arm Band
• Driving permit
• A very hard worker
• Mary’s Medals
• Marsh’s Evacuees
• Evacuees on the farm
• Milk from cows?
• Marsh’s Parents with the Evacuees
• Me and the girls
• All of us
• ATS Cap Badge
• Mary Pritchard

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