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In the early part of the war, I was living with my aunt in Charlton Road, Shirley. We had an Anderson Shelter in the garden — made comfortable with seats and blankets to keep us warm — only used it if it was really necessary.

I don’t remember the exact date — early November 1940, I was 20 years old. We used to hear planes coming across the coastline as they made their way to London and Coventry and other large towns further north. My friend had come to spend the night and we had been out shopping. She was to go home on Sunday to Woolston. Everything was bought with coupons. I had a brown coat for 3 years and thought I would like to buy a hat to go with it. We trailed round the shops and I eventually found a little brown hat with a brim. When I came home, I showed it to my aunt who approved. I took it upstairs and put it on my bed.

Then on that Saturday evening the siren sounded about 6 o’clock as usual. We made for the shelter and heard gunfire as they crossed the coastline. Soon we heard the sound of bombs whistling down. We heard afterwards some had fallen in the next road. No one was hurt. We went into the house after the all clear. The blast had gone through the kitchen. Everything was covered in dust. Doors were off hinges etc. I don’t remember if any windows were broken. When I looked for my stockings they were wound round the line in the kitchen with a towel and I could not get them off. I don’t know what happened to them in the end as I left to live with my cousin in Nursling. We went upstairs to pack a few bits and pieces to go round to my cousins to stay and my new hat was covered in plaster dust. I had to spend time trying to clean it all up. I hadn’t even worn it yet! I collected clothes for my aunt and myself.

It was difficult to get to Nursling as there were no buses. We got a tram to Shirley and walked the rest of the way. I was healthy then! It was safer out at Nursling. Once or twice I met a soldier walking into Southampton otherwise there was hardly anyone living out there. I had my own ration book and on a Friday I got my rations from a little shop and took them home. I had to be registered with the shop and could only use that shop to get my rations. Sometimes you got a little extra e.g. 2 sausages and one egg.

During the war I worked in the Ordnance Office. We were moved around to various places. Usually only men were allowed to draw maps. My cousin in Nursling heard that they were taking on 12 women and would train them in the drawing office. I put my name forward and was accepted. When the training was completed, I was working on maps of the coastlines of France and Germany and maps of large towns in Germany e.g. Bremen, Hamburg etc. I now realise that we were working on maps to bomb those towns. Now it seems terrible! I worked there until I married in 1949. I was 29 and my husband was 6 years older than me.

I met my husband at the end of the war. He was in the North Africa Campaign. I worked with his sister and through her we met. We could not afford a car so we bought a tandem and went everywhere on it. My husband told everyone that I sat with my feet on the handlebars while he did all the work!

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