´óÏó´«Ã½

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by a volunteer from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Suffolk Action on behalf of Mary Lomax and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs. Lomax fully understand the site’s terms and conditions.

In early 1940 my then boyfriend was told to report for a medical for the Army. The result of this was he was told it was very doubtful if he would be called up, because of his eyesight (he had worn glasses since he was a young boy).

In early 1941 we decided to be married on 22nd February and had made every arrangement for this — bridesmaids, flowers, invitations, reception, honeymoon hotel booked — when, lo and behold, my boyfriend received his call up papers to report to Basingstoke for the Army just four days before our Wedding Day. So he wrote to whoever sent the papers telling them we had arranged to get married on the Saturday so what had he got to do? The reply was a form to fill in giving information — the church, the clergyman’s name, time, my name, etc. etc. The reply came back addressed to Private Lomax giving him seven days leave and to report two days after our wedding. That meant he lost his first leave.

When he had his embarkation leave, I was in hospital having been knocked off my bicycle by a fire engine. So we didn’t see each other until 4 ½ years later as he was posted to Egypt with Eight Army and no home leave was given from there.

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.