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This story has been submitted to the People’s War Website by Anne Wareing of the Lancashire Home Guard on behalf of Mary Saunders and has been added to the site with her permission.

In the throes of our romance my fiancé Billy who was later to become my husband agreed that we would enlist for active service. A turn of fate brought both joys and great sadness. Billy failed his medical, I did not, so off I went in 1941 leaving Billy at home in Gisburn near Clitheroe until our marriage in Gisburn Parish Church in November 1942 which was followed by only three days leave, before returning to active duty at Pembroke Docks.

This was a frightening experience as threat from German fighters threatened oil installations and the famous Sunderland flying boats. Letters from Billy addressed with loving affection to ‘my darling wife’ kept me going in those dark and lonely nights in the air raid shelters.

A period of severe illness resulted in my collapse and hospitalisation, when Billy responded to a telegram informing him of my condition. For a period of recuperation I returned to Billy for three months, only to eventually be recalled to active service and stationed at Ringway Manchester as a cook in the Officer’s Mess among the famous Red Berets and many Norwegians preparing for the battle of Arnheim.

The atmosphere at Ringway was magical and moods swung between happiness and intense sadness, most flyers having set off for Arnheim failed to return and despite this left behind wonderful memories.

I served from 1941to 1945, served at a number of postings, but the best was my return to Billy and Gisburn to resume a wonderful married life.

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