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"This story was submitted to the site by the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Peoples War Team in the East Midlands with Josephine Kays permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions. The article was collated and written by Heather Sale as a voluntary task for Readycall Ashbourne"

My name is Josephine Kay (nee Payne). I am pleased to be able to add some of my memories to the archive and hope that not only will my words add insight but that they will give pleasure and greater understanding of the ‘Peoples War’.

On the day that war was declared I was sent to undertake basic training with the Cavalry Regiment at Northampton Barracks. The ATS was newly founded on 9th September 1938 and our basic training was just that!

Eventually we were divided into 2 companies the second of which served at Northampton for the duration of the war. Meanwhile myself and 54 others, known as the 1st battalion were rounded up and despatched on 3/12/39 to an ‘unknown’ destination. On a dark, cold night 55 girls ranging in age from 16 years (Eileen Twelftree) to 40ish (Marjorie Jordon) arrived at Larkhill.

Our accommodation was less than basic — tin huts that were officially condemned. The huts were damp and chilly with only a pot bellied stove in the centre, which although it belched smoke — did keep the coffee hot!

During this period I myself was sergeant in charge of equipment stores and the girls who were deployed throughout the camp as clerks, cooks and storekeepers. With responsibility for the girls I spent time as carer if girls were ill or upset. News of families was often scarce or in some cases tragic.

During the last week of May 1940 strange preparations started and news began filtering through of the retreat from Dunkirk. Eventually we knew all — troop carriers of dishevelled and dirty men arrived at the camp. Many of the girls worked swiftly to check the men’s identity and log their details. Once done these men were sent to stores to be reissued with clean clothes before being offered a hot bath, food and a clean bed.

I recall the sweep arriving when 3 girls were in bed, proceeding to sweep the stove, filling the room with soot and smoke. Actual medical care was available and good, the food was good and sports facilities were wonderful.

I feel it fair to switch between good and bad memories to give a balance so it is hard to retain good continuity but here goes.

During the early part of our time at Larkhill we could hear German bombers at night coming back from raids — a chilling sound which lessened with time. One night a group of Royal Artillery recruits on their way to training at out camp were bombed and killed before they could be documented. The ATS girls went to help when they could — what a dreadful night.

The camp itself housed some 5000 men — Canadians, Americans, Newfoundlander and British so the ladies had some social life (tea parties, including jam sandwiches, excursions to local hostelries, invitations to dinner and shopping trips to Salisbury and London). If a girl had a special date it was common for a pool of clothes and accessories to be amassed to ensure a good ‘turn out’.

Liaisons were numerous and male visitors were permitted at our quarters until 10pm.

I remember one evening returning to barracks to find our outside light sporting a red bulb. Enquiries revealed that in the absence of a replacement normal bulb, a red one had been used in all innocence — needless to say it was swiftly removed!!

Some things were not so funny — there seemed to be a lot of injections for this and that and training in a gas chamber should we need to don a mask in a real situation.

War was a great leveller — all men and women were equal. I recall one girl of ‘breeding’ having to be shown how to scrub a floor for the first time and although this was a ‘one off’ job, she excelled! Most of the girls were so young and away from home for the first time, but through comradeship they survived and did sterling work. Many friendships were forged and not a few marriages.

I met and eventually married Thomas Kay (the Major of G squad) in September 1941. We married in the church at Larkhill, friend and family came. We honeymooned for 2 weeks at the Blue Anchor Hotel in Somerset. Sadly this hotel later fell into the sea and is no more! We had a week at the Strand Palace Hotel in London — then back to base for approximately 7 months until my husband was posted abroad and I went to digs in Durham, where out daughter was born in 1942.

It must seem strange to some that parties, shopping, pubs, hotels, weddings and births etc all continued in as near normal a fashion as possible, but the war fitted into life and life fitted into the war

It would be nice to include the names of some of the girls from Larkhill, in order that a memory is kept for the families of these amazing ladies. Those I recall are: Boyson, Crofts, Griffiths, Williams, Jellyman, Smith, Grant, Horrocks, Rowe, Tuke, Gardener-Brow, Price, The Murfey sisters, Thornton, Hoskins, Hobb, Sewel, Austin, Slaughter, Fields, Twelvetree, Slauter, Sharwood — God Bless them all.

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