大象传媒

This story has been written onto the 大象传媒 People's War site by CSV Storygatherer Kate Langdon on behalf of Jean Porter. They fully understand the terms and conditions of the site.

I was 18 and in the Land Army at Lenham, Kent. Peter (my husband) also 18, was in the 7th Royal Tank Regiment. I was a land girl in Lenham whilst we were serving our duties.

Every night, as a land girl, we went to the pub "Dog and Bear". I saw Peter with his beret on the back of his head. I said he's showing off, don't have anything to do with him.

I used to go to dances in the village hall every weekend. Peter did not dance. I asked him to have a dance but he said no - because he couldn't, but we had a drink in a pub instead. We courted on The Pilgrim's Way for miles. I was proposed to on the train to Nottingham on the way to see my aunt. The following weekend, 17th June, he took me home to see his parents. We were married on 6th November and still together today.

Because of my marriage to Peter I was given the option of being moved/transferred or to leave - because of being a bad influence on the others in the hostel. I decided to leave and work in a War Office in London whilst Peter was in Lenham. We still saw each other some weekends when he got leave.

When Peter was moved to Brighton on exercise I went for the weekend. We tried to book into a hotel but they wanted our marriage certificate beforehand. We didn't have it, so we weren't allowed to stay there.

From Brighton to Blackdown, Hampshire to Salisbury Green near Portsmouth, to Normandy: whilst I stayed at home, working and awaiting our first child.

My father thought I should leave because it was too dangerous. We had a flat at Cadogan Place when Peter was in the army. Once the war was over we stayed there for 10 years then lived on a farm, where we stayed for 20 years. After the war Peter bacame a fireman with the London Fire Brigade whilst I looked after our children. He left to go farming.

I still have all the letters Peter sent during our times apart in the war.

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