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I lived at Bodmin in Cornwall, and was called up for the fire service in Plymouth. I worked at Yelverton in the pay section, and went around on the pay car every week to pay the firemen and the firewomen on the different stations.

Then once a week we did what they called a fire watch, and had to stay the night at Yelverton and stay in the operational room answering the telephone, in case of fire and raids. In the office I worked in, they were very nice people and one particular lady called Doris befriended me. I went to her house every week, stayed the night and we’ve been friends ever since.

I used to walk from Mutley Plain to Alma Road every night in the blackout, because that’s where the transport picked me up. We had no fear wondering if we were going to be hurt because during the war, you were safer walking along saying goodnight to everybody than you are now. I had very happy days there and I met my second husband who was from Plymouth, and we all became friends. There were lots of raids and anxious moments, but there were happy times when we were all friends together, and helped each other.

I always wanted to live in Plymouth and when I went home to Bodmin for weekends, my mum used to say to me ‘Whatever’s the matter with you Doreen?’ I said ‘Oh, I want to get back to Plymouth’. She said ‘What, in the blitz and the raids?’ So I said ‘Yes’. As they say down in Cornwall, I’ve lived to tell the tale.

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