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15 October 2014
WW2 - People's War

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JOAN COLEMAN'S STORY

by Chepstow Drill Hall

Contributed by听
Chepstow Drill Hall
People in story:听
JOAN COLEMAN
Location of story:听
CHEPSTOW
Background to story:听
Civilian
Article ID:听
A4065770
Contributed on:听
14 May 2005

This story was submitted to the People鈥 War by a volunteer from The Chepstow Society on behalf of Joan Coleman and has been added to the site with her permission. Joan Coleman fully understands the site鈥檚 terms and conditions.

I started work as a maid at Chepstow Hospital in November, 1938 at the age of 14陆. The routine in those days was to rise at 6.30a.m., on duty at 7.30a.m., off duty at 8.30p.m.. Excepting I had one half day off a week when I visited my family at Mynyddbach. I also had 2-5 off on a Wednesday, and finished at 6p.m. on Saturday. If we went out, we had to be sure to be back by 10p.m., when the doors were locked.

My Father worked at Beachley Camp. I used to watch for him to pass as he cycled to and from work. On one occasion, a returning German bomber strafed Beachley Camp, with several soldiers being killed. I was relieved to see him cycling past.

At one time myself and another member of staff were suspected of having contracted diptheria, and were sent to the Isolation Hospital on the Usk Road.

The hospital was kept going by voluntary subscriptions. I worked with Doris Hobbs. Nora West (now Blandford) was a Staff Nurse. David Sims was gardener, he grew both flowers and vegetables.

When war was declared I was walking down the back stairs. Marjorie Thomas the cook, had her wireless on in the kitchen. I heard Chamberlain say 鈥渨e are now in a state of war with Germany鈥. Another time we heard Lord Haw Haw say 鈥渨e know where Dinham is, and sleepy little Chepstow鈥. (By this time, my Father worked at Dinham).

One memory that stands out is the sight of Matron Norman, early each morning washing bed sheets in the copper boiler. The janitor would have risen even earlier to light the boiler. This was the only way to keep the hospital supplied with clean bed linen, as the war had caused the laundries to closed down.

Doris Hobbs and I used to attend the dances at the Gym at Beachley Camp. Of course we always left it until the last minute to leave, when we had to run back to arrive at the hospital before 10p.m.

Scarrott鈥檚 Fair was permanently sited on the river bank. My friend Margaret Jones and I used to visit. Because of the blackout, it was tarpaulined over, you had to go through a dark entrance, but once you were through there, it was light. I can remember 鈥榦ne penny rolling鈥 and the like, but no dodgems of carousels. At night in bed in the hospital, I could hear the same old tunes over and over, night after night.

The hospital looked after their staff, they gave me a small party on my 21st birthday, and we all had extra money in an envelope at Christmas.

My husband had joined the regular army as a boy, and had been stationed at Chatham. That was bombed, and he was transferred to Chepstow. On completing his training he was transferred into the Royal Engineers. We married at 9.00a.m. in Shirenewton on 21st March, 1944 The Reverend Swann officiated. Afterwards, we travelled by train to Bill鈥檚 home at Lowestoft. We spent the first night of our honeymoon on a railway station, as German bombers were active that night. When we eventually arrived in Lowestoft, Bill鈥檚 home had been flattened, and his Mother had joined his Step-Father in Scotland. He was in the merchant navy on minesweepers. We eventually found friends who put us up for a few nights.

On the last Saturday in September 1944, we were walking into Chepstow with my brother, when an army vehicle from Lincoln recognised my husband鈥檚 red beret, pulled up, and said you are needed. Bill jumped onto to the vehicle, and I did not see him again until the war ended. At 11a.m. on the Sunday morning, the sky over Chepstow was black with planes and gliders, making as we found out later, for Arnhem. I knew he was going into active service. On 9th October, 1944, I received an official notice to say he was missing and later on, a printed postcard from Bill, dated the 3rd October, 1944 saying he was in good health, and expected to be moved shortly.

After the war I was informed that Bill was expected home from the Prisoner of War Camp, but was not told what time he would arrive. I sat on Chepstow Station all night, in order to meet the train, we wandered around until it was time for me to go on duty, then he went to my home at Mynyddbach. I scarcely recognised him, he was thin and covered in boils. Many nights, he would go downstairs and eat and eat. My Mother must have found that difficult with rationing.

Some weekends, the town would be full of military personnel, then suddenly they would all disappear. You knew then that more landing craft had been completed and transported from the Shipyard.

With many strangers in the town, I always felt safe walking about the town. I was never frightened to go out at night.

Army

My Father worked at Beachley Camp. I used to watch for him to pass as he cycled to and from work. On one occasion, a returning German bomber strafed Beachley Camp, with several soldiers being killed. I was relieved to see him cycling past.

Personal Events

My husband had joined the regular army as a boy, and had been stationed at Chatham. That was bombed, and he was transferred to Chepstow. On completing his training he was transferred into the Royal Engineers. We married at 9.00a.m. in Shirenewton on 21st March, 1944 The Reverend Swann officiated. Afterwards, we travelled by train to Bill鈥檚 home at Lowestoft. We spent the first night of our honeymoon on a railway station, as German bombers were active that night. When we eventually arrived in Lowestoft, Bill鈥檚 home had been flattened, and his Mother had joined his Step-Father in Scotland. He was in the merchant navy on minesweepers. We eventually found friends who put us up for a few nights.

On the last Saturday in September 1944, we were walking into Chepstow with my brother, when an army vehicle from Lincoln recognised my husband鈥檚 red beret, pulled up, and said you are needed. Bill jumped onto to the vehicle, and I did not see him again until the war ended. At 11a.m. on the Sunday morning, the sky over Chepstow was black with planes and gliders, making as we found out later, for Arnhem. I knew he was going into active service. On 9th October, 1944, I received an official notice to say he was missing and later on, a printed postcard from Bill, dated the 3rd October, 1944 saying he was in good health, and expected to be moved shortly.

After the war I was informed that Bill was expected home from the Prisoner of War Camp, but was not told what time he would arrive. I sat on Chepstow Station all night, in order to meet the train, we wandered around until it was time for me to go on duty, then he went to my home at Mynyddbach. I scarcely recognised him, he was thin and covered in boils. Many nights, he would go downstairs and eat and eat. My Mother must have found that difficult with rationing.

The Town

Doris Hobbs and I used to attend the dances at the Gym at Beachley Camp. Of course we always left it until the last minute to leave, when we had to run back to arrive at the hospital before 10p.m.

Scarrott鈥檚 Fair was permanently sited on the river bank. My friend Margaret Jones and I used to visit. Because of the blackout, it was tarpaulined over, you had to go through a dark entrance, but once you were through there, it was light. I can remember 鈥榦ne penny rolling鈥 and the like, but no dodgems of carousels. At night in bed in the hospital, I could hear the same old tunes over and over, night after night.

Some weekends, the town would be full of military personnel, then suddenly they would all disappear. You knew then that more landing craft had been completed and transported from the Shipyard.

Work In Wartime

The hospital was kept going by voluntary subscriptions. I worked with Doris Hobbs. Nora West (now Blandford) was a Staff Nurse. David Sims was gardener, he grew both flowers and vegetables. When war was declared I was walking down the back stairs. Marjorie Thomas the cook, had her wireless on in the kitchen. I heard Chamberlain say 鈥渨e are now in a state of war with Germany鈥. Another time we heard Lord Haw Haw say 鈥渨e know where Dinham is, and sleepy little Chepstow鈥. (By this time, my Father worked at Dinham).

One memory that stands out is the sight of Matron Norman, early each morning washing bed sheets in the copper boiler. The janitor would have risen even earlier to light the boiler. This was the only way to keep the hospital supplied with clean bed linen, as the war had caused the laundries to closed down.

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South East Wales Category
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