大象传媒

3rd September 1939 aged 14 I started work at Sanderson's hospital for children - in the kitchen. Children were evacuated near Morpeth during the war and wounded soldiers came. During the day Mary had a few hours off work and went for a walk up Salter's Road. She remebers hearing a siren at 11 o'clock and that was the start of the war. She stayed for a year and helped to set up an air raid shelter in the basement. Opposite was St. Nicholas' hospital and patients came to help fill sandbags. Early '41 Ouston aerodrome was being built. Lived in Throckley and took airmen in for half a crown. They had two lodgers - George a blonde Londoner and a Scott called Jock.
Mary later married George. He was a corporal. He asked her mam if he could take Mary to the pictures, they went to see Gone With The Wind.He was sent to Turn House, Edinburgh.
He volunteered for flying and Mary was very proud of him. He flew Lancasters (Flight engineer) and was shot down on his 45th trip. It was 6 weeks before Mary knew if he was dead or alive. George had been wounded and in hospital in Reims before being sent to a prisoner of war camp. It was 2 years before he returned after being on a forced march before being released by the British and flown home. He weighed only 6 stone when released and needed a stay in hospital for a few weeks. It had a big effect on him but they married a year later.George died in 1999.

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