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I believe the year was 1941.

I was doing a business course, typing and that sort of thing and college. On my way up to do an exam, I met these Polish officers. There were schools around us that were empty. I don't think I was quite 17. I was too young to join in the forces, even though I tried.

The Polish Officers were lovely. They had beautiful big red lined capes on and they were calling and whistling and I thought at me! I told my friend about it, saying

"These lovely Polish officers, where have they all come from?"

She told me about Glasgow, and the dance floors in Glasgow and all the soldiers there - French Soldiers, Polish Soldiers, American soldiers.

I'd never been in a dance hall before, not one of those big ones. I didn't have much money, but I had enough for my bus fare in and the entrance fee and I bought woodbines and a box of matches and I was off. I think I had a dress on - I think it was sky blue and made out of crepe material.

The danced hall was called Locarno, and it was in Sauchiehall Street. It was beautiful. They had a revolving stage. On one side people were waltzing and the other side was jitterbug.

There were hundreds of French sailors. They were swarming all around me. And one of them decided he was going to keep me on his own, in the middle of the dance hall, even of the music wasn't playing. He was called Pierre, obviously, and he called me 'mon petite'! He was lovely. He was dark with flashing dark eyes. And he was determined I was going to stay away from the rest. He stood me under this big glass light, it was one big mass of colour, and it was just sparkling as it was going around. And then he couldn't resist any more and he kissed me. It lasted for ages. Everyone around us stopped dancing and started counting "1…2…3…"

That was the nice part. The bad part started later because I had to get the last bus home. I lived 15 miles away, and it was in the black out, and my mother had a very sharp tongue. The last bus left at 10.30. I looked at the clock and it was 10.20, and I had to run down Sauchiehall Street and there was nothing there.

There were no taxis. There was no such thing as taxis. What was I going to do? And as I went, I heard all the American soldiers shouting

"Man - look at her run!"

The tram stopped at a red light, so I ran and I just got on it, I was a good runner.

So I was on the tram, and there was a big blonde conductress showing an inch of black. She stuck her hand out for the money. And I thought I'd have a cigarette and think about the lovely evening I'd had.

"Light this fag and you're off this tramcar!"

It was horrible.

I went to Airdrie. It was the depot for the tramcar. When I got off, I ran all the way from the depot. The next stop was a town called Clarkson, and I ran all the way, and it was raining.

My mother, who usually told me off, just looked at me very sadly and just said

"Your two brothers are away and being shot at and all you can think about is enjoying yourself.

I felt terrible. I was drookit.

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