大象传媒

Wartime memories of Bedford

War work at J.P. White鈥檚, Bedford.
鈥淭hen the war started and I went to spray aircraft in an aircraft factory. We didn鈥檛 wear masks. I used to like it - we had fun. We had 鈥楳usic While you Work鈥�. We had concerts on the radio and we always got a pint of milk because of the paint. But while I was there, about two years, I got asthma and so that was the end of my working days. The aircraft factory was J P White鈥檚 on Bromham Road, Bedford. We worked from seven in the morning until seven at night. Everyone had to do war work, you had to register, you either had to go in the forces or do war work. I decided I鈥檇 go to this factory because it was near to where we lived.

VE Day Celebrations
I do remember going to the river and being back at 2 o鈥檆lock in the morning because after being 鈥榠n service鈥� and having to be in at 9 o鈥檆lock. It was absolutely packed down by the river, you couldn鈥檛 move. There were all the Air Force and the Americans down there. I have a picture from the newspaper of me dancing with an American, it鈥檚 a newspaper cutting.鈥�

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