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I was 15 years old when war broke out. I remember thinking I was lucky because it meant I didn’t get to take my exams! I went on to drama school in Stratford on Avon where I learnt to ride a race horse.

One day, while laying on my bed at the college of drama in Stratford-On-Avon a telegram arrived from my family saying ‘Pop hurt, but ok’. This wasn’t exactly the case because father, who was in the Anti Submarine group at Dover, had been blown up and was quite seriously hurt. I left my things at the school, packed a small bag and was met at Dover station by my brother who told me that father was close to death. It had happened during the evacuation of Dunkirk!! There was something happening every hour then, aerial dog fights, fighting in the channel, air raids etc.
What I saw at Dover at that time changed my way of thinking forever!

My father went on to recover and took part in the D-Day landings in June 1944.

After the Dunkirk experience I felt compelled to go into nursing even though I was too young. I joined the Royal Navy as a V.A.D. and undertook part of my training in Barrowgurney, Bristol. It was here I met Timmy, who became such a good friend, I still see her to this day!
More training was carried out in-situ at Cholmondley Castle. This was being used as a Royal Navy Convalescent Home for ratings. I remember some of them were very disturbed and one actually chased me around a dining table brandishing a knife. I told him very firmly to ‘Put That Thing Down!’ Luckily he did.
There were eight of us trainee Nurses. One of the Wrens went to sick bay one morning complaining of tummy pains, a few hours later she gave birth to the baby she didn’t know she was carrying!! Everyone was delighted.

Later I moved on to Stonehouse Hospital in Plymouth when the Americans came over. I did Night duty there and my boyfriend, an American by the name of Courts Houlahan, used to visit me on the ward. One night, Sister made a surprise visit to the ward and Courts had to jump into the only empty bed there, boots and all and pretend to be a sleeping patient!
I would love to know what happened to Courts Houlahan!

I was always putting my name on volunteer lists and one day my services were actually called upon. I was given 10 days notice to pack, given a rail pass and told to meet train J1 at Euston station. I had no idea where I was going to end up. From the train I boarded a ship called the Empress of Scotland and six weeks later, I arrived in Australia. A journey that took me via the Panama canal and a Bob Hope concert in Colon!
I was in Australia for two years and made friends with The Padre in RNH Sydney by the name of ‘Tommy’Thomlinson.
My return journey was on HMS Indefatigable and was much harder work than the journey out two years before. So many sick and wounded!! To end on a cheerful note, I returned to England with a Kitten in my bag.That was in 1946.

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