- Contributed by听
- Iris White
- People in story:听
- Iris White, Ernie (Chalky) White, William White and Hilda White
- Location of story:听
- The Roman Galley and Margate on Thanet also Kings School, The Vines, Rochester
- Background to story:听
- Civilian
- Article ID:听
- A4124071
- Contributed on:听
- 27 May 2005
We had a very small ration of petrol for the car. In the New Year there had been snow but it had cleared and the roads had been gritted so my Dad and I went for a drive down the Thanet Way. We were in a restricted area but living within it we could travel within the area. We got as far as Herne Bay and got a puncture in one tyre, which we got repaired. Instead of going home we then went on to The Roman Galley, which was as far as civilian traffic was allowed. It was here that there were concrete blocks across the road. We got another puncture near The Duke of Kent pub and finally got home about tea time. My mother must have been frantic with worry but I don't remember her making any fuss.
It was after this that I volunteered for the WRNS. My soldier boy (Ernie White) was by now stationed at Cliftonville. I went down on a couple of occasions; one amusement arcade with a cafe was open on Margate seafront. We had a nice rabbit dinner at the other restaurant. There was no-one about, it was like the land of the dead. My wedding ring was bought at Cuttings in Margate. It was 22 carats when at that time wedding rings were mostly 9 carat gold.
In April 1942 I was called up for the WRNS. I had to report to Rochester - at Kings School in The Vines. We were issued with a working dress apron, no uniform until we had been there a fortnight.
Our day was:
we arose and went on duty at 6.30 a.m. (no cup of tea!). My first job was to light a fire for the second officers (I never could light a fire). Then we served breakfast. After that we had our breakfast of porridge with golden syrup and a slice of bread. I have never worked so hard on so little food. By the way, I was a steward, as that was what they wanted. At the time I didn't know much about stewarding. I did one day in the galley from 6.20 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. - hard graft and a rotten, miserable Petty Officer. Maybe I was soft, but I thought "I'm not sticking this" so I left after a fortnight, and went to a rolling mill instead.
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