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April ’41, through ill health of my father, my parents evacuated to Colwyn Bay.
Later I joined them.

Being 21 war work or forces it had to be. At that time, factories were being opened over the country. I went to a converted car show room, making steel component parts for aircraft. Operating machines, rather tedious, cleanliness of the jig being the most manual part — one grain underneath could easily take up the 5 thousandths of an inch allowance. The drilling section was more operator controlled, but much enthusiasm ended in jammed drills and flying jigs, when everyone ducked!
One operation, which amuses me, now in theses days of automation, was numbering of small batches by hand; often ten or more objects long, each one done with metal stamp and hammer.

While in Colwyn Bay, I married, not knowing till the Friday whether the wedding would take place, as my husband-to-be’s leave depended on him passing an exam.

In February 1942, I moved back to Wallasey, saying I would work anywhere were I could get time off for my husbands leave- so ended up at R.O.F. (= Royal Ordinance Factory) Kirby - but they kept their word.
I worked with cordite, used in rockets for the Navy. I worked on T.N.T. which turned skin and hair bright orange — also detonator ‘shops’ where you could easily lose a finger.
Hills of earth were made between ‘shops’ to minimise blast in case of explosion.
No hair clips, cigarettes or lighters were allowed in because of sparks.
Hair was often wound round ribbon to make it fast — a new hair style.
No food was allowed either, and ‘searchers’ were ‘popping’ in to check rules were being obeyed.
We were transported by bus from Wallasey, it was horrible work at 5:30 AM to the pick up point.

December 1943 ‘Lease Lend’ had taken effect, we now had American machines. Some from Kirby were sent to Chester Engineering School — that is when the decimal point became important to us trainees! We learnt to operate capston lathes, and other machines, to read micrometers and verniers; ended up being enrolled members of the A.E.U. (=American Engineering Union???)

Feb 43 Went to R.O. F Ellesmere Port, working on recuperators for large guns using Furtfurter Horizontal Borer, large planers and rifling machine, again to 5 thousands of inch. While cooling fluid flowed onto the work, after causing hand rashes.
Setters were responsible for chasing up the crane drivers for the next piece of work, also for keeping the tools sharp — very important, as it effected finished cut. We worked 12 hour shifts — then 2 hour each way, tram to Woodside, two buses in Wallasey, making 16 hours in all. Again ‘searchers’ were very prudent, this time checking us as we left for the theft of valuable instruments doing spot checks.

In Sept 44 I left due to ill health.

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