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My Nannies name is Frances Baker, nee Jones. I have asked my Nan whether she wanted me to write this article and she agreed. She is unable to because at 82, she is beginning to get rather unwell and is unable to type on modern PC’s. During the Second World War my Nan served in the ATS as a cook for the army.
‘The Cookhouse’ was what they called the kitchens where they worked to keep the army on the move. Frances was promoted during her time in the ATS to a Lance Corporal, then Corporal and finally Sergeant. Her mother had taught her how to cook when she was younger, and Frances had helped her mother out at home, which is why she was so good at cooking in the army.

Frances started her career in Hereford, where she lived after the war ended. Her base camp wasn`t far from Hereford then, but she has forgetten exactly where it was now. Nan and ‘her girls’ were sent out to Belgium to the kitchens out near the front line. After there they moved into Germany itself. They didn`t get any trouble from the German Army, and the German people were welcoming. Nan recalls that the German people had beautiful houses and gardens. There were 2 girls who worked under Nan, for she was the one in charge of the cookhouse by now. They were Molly Duffy and Mary Ray. Nan doesn`t know where they are now, but she can still remember their faces.
In Belgium Nan worked with another woman called Eliza Baker. She was older than Frances, but Nan out-ranked her. Anyway the story goes that Nan met her son, Frederick. He was a nice chap, but she had no intention of settling down yet. When the war ended Frances went back to Hereford to help her mum in the Merton Hotel as a cooking helper in the kitchens.

Fred returned to Hereford with her and they married in 1946. They were together for 57 years, but sadly Fred (My Granddad) died in May 2003. Frances has not enjoyed good health recently, but she is now living with my uncle, in Coventry, England.

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