大象传媒

Billie Roberts was my driving instructor at the drivers' training course in Cairo. Billie came from Bersham, Wrexham. When war broke out he joined the Army (RAC) and was immediately posted to France. He was picked up from the shores of Dunkirk. On arriving in England he had a week's leave before being posted to North Africa. He fought in Tobruk and El-Alamein and somehow he was landed in Cairo to the drivers' training course as an Instructor in Charge under the company command of Major Mackenzie.

Billie must have been attracted to me from the first week we met, the attraction was mutual. We all five became good friends, the three Hannahs, Liza and Billie. We all went out together. Billie told me that he was engaged to a girl in Birkenhead. Her name was Gertie. He carried the photograph in his pay book.

On our days off we four used to come to Cairo. We were only allowed to travel in military transport, so if there was none available we couldn't go anywhere. In 1942 Cairo was a great centre for the troops, the people were nice and welcoming, the city was beautiful. Their spoken language was Arabic and French and they spoke English as well. I was fortunate because I spoke all three languages!

We'd meet at 'Music for all', a place that played music all the time and where you could drink coffee and meet your friends. Billie was there as well. He often asked the other girls' permission if he could steal me for a few hours and promised to bring me back safely. We parted many times and kept meeting again.

In England Gertie met a man called Joe and they fell in love and got married. I then asked Billie to marry me. We got married at the High Commissioner's office in Jaffa on February 5 1945. My mother did not approve of my marriage. I loved her very much. Her advice to me was simple: "Remember who you are and what you are. Respect yourself and others." When my family got to know Billie they simply loved him. They used to say that our marriage was made in heaven.

Three weeks after getting married we left for Britain. I was allowed to take just one suitcase. The war was still on and we travelled in a convoy of 12 ships. German submarines were still about. We arrived safely on the Clyde on March 14 to a most beautiful sunny, warm day.

I would like to mention Billie's mother as she played a key role in our life. In 1944 she corresponded with me before I came to Wales. Her letters throughout the months were full of warmth, caring and welcoming. She said she knew how much I was giving up by marrying her son: my family, my home, my country. We became great friends and loved each other. I was a young bride of 21, she was 75. I also had a great welcome from the people of Wrexham.

Gertie and Joe became our good friends. Our daughter was a bridesmaid to Carolyn, their daughter, and godmother to their granddaughter, Elizabeth. When she got married last year I was invited to the wedding and was treated as part of the family.

Billie and I were happily married. He was my friend, my lover, my husband and father to our beautiful, intelligent, wise daughter Elane."

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