大象传媒

At the outbreak of World War 2, the Government ordered "Direction of Labour" for all 18 years old and over. I entered nurse training at The Royal Infirmary, Manchester in November 1940. It commenced with two months of basic skills in the School of Nursing. We then went home for Christmas leave.

Manchester was blitzed on the 22nd & 23rd December, 1940. On December 24th I received a telegram requesting my immediate return for nursing duties. Many volunteers in the Manchester Social Services had taken a week's leave for the Christmas Holidays, leaving the Mamchester City Rest Centres and other emergency systems short of staff when most neeeded.

I caught the evening train from Burton-on-Trent via Derby for Manchester. It was very over-crowded with Service personnel and kit. I sat on luggage in the dark corridor. As we reached the city the train was stopped in a rural area due to a heavy air-raid. The engine's firebox was covered and all lights extinguished, to prevent enemy aircraft detecting us. After a lengthy period, the train was allowed to proceed to STOCKPORT Station and discharge the passengers.

The Station air-raid shelters were over-full, therefore, a group of us began to walk towards Manchester. The streets were dark and littered with glass and debris. The fires of the blitzed buildings raged over the city and the noise of the explosions was alarming. I arrived at the Infirmary entrance where a policeman was on duty. He informed me that a TIMEBOMB had fallen near the Nurses Home. He sent me to the Outpatients Entrance and I walked down a long corridor, its glass roof shattered and covering the floor. I eventually contacted a person, who, then sent me to the Outpatients Hall. Here the incoming casualties were graded either for immediate treatment or laid down on mattresses on the floor for assessment. I was clad in a gown and directed to attend to their non-medical needs. At daylight I was sent for breakfast, then onto a ward for patient duties.

This was CHRISTMAS DAY, MY FIRST DAY OF NURSING. The ward windows were bricked up and the electricity had failed. We worked with a hurricane lamp on a trolley, as we attended to patient needs.

We received patients' meals from the kitchen as they cooked by gas. Christmas lunch was served and tea-time treats arrived. The nurses sang carols to cheer the patients, no family visitors came in. We worked 4 hours on & 2 hours rest over several days until the crisis eased.

During the air-raid periods the Staff slept in air-raid shelters and were often called on duty night or day. The 大象传媒 Radio news governed our lives as everyone had relatives and friends at the fighting front. We heard where the air-raids and the battles were raging. The news was our only line of communication to the World about us.

Throughout the War we had periods of quiet between enemy air-raids. The Infirmary treated prisoners-of-war from the ITALIAN Camp near by.

At the evacuation of Forces from Normandy the casualties were despatched by trains to inland centres. Manchester received a train load.

The men were saturated in seawater and sand. They had temporary wound dressings and were in pain and exhausted. On hospital admission they were graded for urgency of treatment.

Note: My husband's Wartime stories can be found at:

* A7982517 - People's War 1940-41 ("Anyone for Tennis?")

* A8104989 - People's War Winter 1940-41 ("Leave the Train, there's a Bomb ahead!")

* A7983930 - People's War June 1944 ("Did we shoot it down?")

Story: This story has been submitted to the People's War site by Muriel Palmer (volunteer) of Age Concern Shropshire Telford & Wrekin on behalf of MN Boodie (author) and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

see Ken Larbey's stories:

• People's War June 1944 ("Did we shoot it down?")
• People's War 1940-41 ("Anyone for Tennis?")
• People's War Winter 1940-41 ("Leave the Train, there's a Bomb ahead!")

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