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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Vijiha Bashir, at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Scotland on behalf of E.Turner from Kilbarchan and has been added to the site with the permission of Johnstone History Society. The author fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

During the years 1942 and 1946/47 I served my country as a member of the A.T.S. In the Royal Artillery and during this time was stationed at Newbattle Abbey, Polmadie, and Clydebank and Harrogate Devises Bovington camp.

In Polmadie I was in the Cookhouse where a 24 hour shift system was in operation 2pm-2pm and when the Home Guard came in to take over the field the A.T.S had to supply the food.

One of the Home Guards invited myself and a few other girls’ home to meet his wife and have a meal with them and another invited the same group of A.T.S girls to a local dance, where for the first time ever I got to dance the tango.

A group of the girls and me were out in one of the towns when we met a lady who asked where we were stationed but we couldn’t give out that information. She gave us 2/6d anyway in the hope that someone else, somewhere would be as kind to her own daughter who was also fighting for her country.

And then there was the night when after a meal of liver and onions at the base camp the girls decided to spend the evening in Clydebank at the cinema. I was sick in the cinema and sick again outside. A woman passing me thought I had too much to drink, but it was the liver and onions that did it and I have never eaten a meal like that again. Two sailors seeing my distress escorted me with the other girls back to the camp.

After the war finished it was quite difficult to say goodbye to all those with whom you served and some of them had become special friends, however, some of us have kept in touch as best we could by writing letters and sending Christmas cards etc.., but even so I still miss the lively, friendly chatter sometimes even after all these years.

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