大象传媒

This story was submitted to the People's War site by Graham Black of the People's War Team on behalf of Kathleen Durrant and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

I joined the WRNS, which was not a conscripted service in 1942, and passed for the communications branch and was then stationed in Glasgow, my father was also serving again after 22 years in the Navy and had retired in 1936, he had been recalled on the outbreak of war and now served in Campbeltown Scotland.

The communications branch entrants worked with Teleprinters, which were monstrous typewriters, we worked with the G.P.O and were able to send signals all over the world. The WRNS who joined in 1944 were picked for the C-in-C Portsmouth stationed at Southwick House and as far as I know they only took raw recruits to train. During one night watch in 1944, I received an unofficial signal from one of the WRNS stationed in Portsmouth who wanted to swap places and come to Scotland. I' am Portsmouth born and bred and most of my family still lived there, so I replied and was accepted to come to Portsmouth.

We all knew that a second front was being planned - what I didn't know was at C.P.O Portsmouth and Southwick House was the main operational "ship" (all establishments in the Navy are called ships, whether they are shore establishments or actual ships). There were Americans coming out of the woodwork - all camping in the fields around Southwick - can you imagine what a time we had, if only I realised that this was history in the making, I would have kept a diary.

Anyway in middle May 1944 we at Southwick House were confined to barracks for two weeks, on the 5th June 1944 the weather was foul, the story is that the weather forecast was lost when it was sent from C.P.O Portsmouth and I believe was caught and lost in the pneumatic tube system connecting the two establishments. Whether this had any bearing on General Eisenhower, Field Marshall Montgomery and Winston Churchill is in some doubt. Because the weather was bad the next day, mind you we WRNS knew nothing about this, being in the bowls of Southwick House sending and receiving signals. On the 6th June, D-Day itself, we WRNS were suddenly told we were no longer confined to barracks, as it was my day off I took the bus and along Southsea sea front I watched the sight before me, the sun was shining and the Solent was black with little ship all going over to France; a sight I will never forget. This was the first any of us WRNS knew about the true scale of D-Day itself.

My C-in-C at this period was Admiral Ramsay the C-in-C of Naval forces on D-Day itself. Forty days after D-Day we WRNS followed Admiral Ramsay and landed in France in a Tank Landing Vehicle. This is the only time I have ever been sea sick and that was as a result of being bumped over the Mulberry harbour to land in France. We were very excited as young girls at having such a never to be forgotten adventure. One memory still brings a smile to me even now, that was some Frenchmen peeing into a hedge at the side of the road as we were driven off to our new billets at Granville this sight was something none of us WRNS had every witnessed before. Many years later I saw the film the "Longest Day" it was only then that I realised the terrible carnage, which had taken place on those very beaches, I was landing on.

I try to go to France at least once a year to pay tribute to those gallant and courageous men and women.

In December 1944 the group of WRNS that I served with were very nearly evacuated back to Britain when the Germans nearly captured Antwerp. I remained on the Continent until 1946, I was stationed in France, Belgium and then finally Germany, of course I have all the medals to prove this, three in number.

I was invited on the fifth anniversary of D-Day to a garden party at Southwick House, which appeared to have no organisation at all; most of the people present were not even born at the time of D-Day. They even grab Americans off the Portsmouth Town station to make up the numbers. However, the reception held at Southsea Castle and hosted by the Lord Mayor was very well organised and excellent event.

As part of the sixth anniversary of D-Day I was interviewed by the 大象传媒 on its regional South to Day programme and by French Television Company.

Until this day I do not know what the title, D-Day, means because the operational name was "Overlord".

VE DAY

The day before VE Day I was given 7 days compassionate leave to be with my fianc茅, who had just been released from Staglag Luft 5, where he had been a POW since 1940.

After five years of war most of us were rebels regarding the correct uniform. I myself had taken all the badges off mine.

Going home on leave from the continent was an adventure in its self. Given leave passes, ration chits etc and told to find your own way, so as a WREN on my own I left Brussels where I was stationed. I made my way to Ostend on the train where several small ships were waiting to carry any service personnel who wanted to cross the channel for what ever reason wanting to return to England.

The route I was taking, Ostend to Tilbury. Whatever your rank - be it Colonel to private, Captain to AB waited in a queue to board the ship, as I was an old hand at this I wasn't bothered. Standing in a queue a little ahead of me was a major; dressed in cord trousers, desert boots, a khaki pullover and a cravat with a goat on a lead and so the early hours of VE day I spent with a major in a uniform of his own making and his friend THE GOAT.

Later that day, after meeting up with my fianc茅, walked around Southsea, my hometown drinking flat beer or gin and metal polish at least that's what it tasted of.

VJ DAY

No happing ending with I am afraid to report with my fianc茅 but that's bye the bye.

I spent VJ Day in a sick bed with suspected dysentery in Minden Germany. When in 1946 I returned to the UK for good, this time we flew. Luxury of course in a Dakota sitting on the floor- Married in 1946, which was a happy ending as our marriage lasted 39 years - my husband dying in 1984.

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