大象传媒

"This story was submitted to the peoples's War site by CSV/大象传媒 Radio Nottingham on behalf of Lillian Hart with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions".

I was 20 years old when I came to England from the Isle of Man. This was January 1940. I rose to the rank of SGT. in the ATS (Auxillary Transport Service).
I catered for 3000 soldiers at the barracks at Chilwell. My working day started at 6.00am where we took the trucks to pick up the meat rations from Woolaton Park. I would not be finished work until 7pm, cooking for the troops.
One sunday morning I was cycling to Nottingham town centre down Castle Boulevard, when I saw a German Bomber. The aircraft flew so low down Castle Boulevard near where the Labour exchange is, that I and other people had to take cover. It did not cause any damage or drop any bombs where we were, but did drop it's load on a small petrol staion at Meadow lane. There were a number of deaths.
Another memory I have of this time was when the bakery in meadow lane was bombed, I know that a lot of people were killed or injured.
Around this time I met my future husband Claude, who was serving in the Royal Navy. When I met him he was on leave, after being injured in the battle of the River Plate (he served on the Cumberland).

One funny memory I had was when I went with the truck to collect rations from Wollaton Park. On this day our truck got stuck in the mud outside the compound, where German prisoners of war were being held. I had to get out and help the driver to get the truck out of the mud and I can remember the Germans finding this ever so funny, with me covered in mud, dressed in my uniform with brown boots on. We did get the truck out eventually but I was so embarrassed.

When the war finished I decided to settle in Nottingham with my husband, who was a local boy and have lived here ever since.

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