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What I most remember about my interview with Marjorie Alder, was she felt she was insignificant to the war efforts because she wasn’t actively involved in the war - felt her contribution would not be useful - Her story would not make a good read, some details would not matter e.t.c

I got the feeling that many women would think like this. How wrong they are. Women had an important role during the war and were integral to the success of the Allies

These women offered emotional support to men at war; these men had something to look forward to when the war was over. I doubt they would have fought so bravely if not. These women thus acted in a parallel chain, keeping a closely-knit society. Women were not less equal to the men that fought in the battle but as equal.

These are our heroes.

'This story was submitted to the People's War site by Marjorie Alder on behalf of Tomisin Awe and has been added to the site with his/her permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions.'

I chose the title 'we had to... accept' because Marjorie used it a couple of times during our conversation, though i only refer to it once in this text. Thank you.

Miss Marjorie, a British national had relocated to Hong-Kong from England in 1938 just before the Second World War started. There she carried out work as an eye specialist - presently recognised as an ophthalmologist. Marjorie also happened to be seeing a gentleman at the time who ‘she was very fond of’ — Mr. Alder.

Naval Officer Alder, as he used to be referred to by his colleagues was a man of great character, and obviously a lady charmer. He was under the British army. Marjorie had met him while he was on post in the Hong Kong though he was moving to and fro between Hong Kong and Britain.

At that time Hong Kong was still a British colony; the first language was English, even though the native tongue was Chinese. Marjorie could not recollect any Chinese phrases citing the fact that the Chinese language was one of the most difficult in the world, probably linked to it’s dissimilarity to the English language.

Marjorie had no intention of leaving Hong Kong in the short run. She was hoping her stay would become a sojourn after she became accustomed to the lovely Hong Kong weather and culture — ‘in fact it was quite different from the capricious British weather, very lovely indeed, the country had a great scenery and was surrounded by mountains and grass knolls’. It also had a bustling flower market, which she used to go for scent sensing so as to get a release through an essence of ambiance, but she did also like to buy some flowers on occasion. The only problem in Hong Kong was sometimes the food, which you had to be wary of — ‘I had agonising bouts of food poisoning during my stay there’.

Marjorie’s conventional life all changed when the war was officially announced. On that day, in extraordinary circumstances - a twist of fate, she received a cable from England a marriage proposal from her fiancé! How could she reject; She had fallen for him…. Naval officer Alder that is, how time had past. Their relationship had blossomed over the previous years.

With marriage on the horizon, but still not overshadowing the fact that the war had just being officially commenced. The British had begun recalling its best maritime officers. This meant Naval Officer Alder would have to remain in the U.K.

Naval Alder’s permanent placement back to England would mean Marjorie would have to repack her baggage and move back to England. She was sad to be leaving the amicable Hong Kong people and country.

In retrospect it was probably a good decision to move, as the ongoing war between Japan and China, would allow Japan the eventual capture of Hong Kong; and the affinity of Japan to Germany would cause for political adversaries with Britain. Thus inciting Marjorie automatic detention as a P.O.W into only a matter of time.

In 1939, Marjorie set sail for England on a journey to be remembered, she was onboard the HAKANOI MARDO (sic) - a Japanese ship. It was odd travelling back by sea, unlike other ships the HAKONOI MARDO was lit up. This was not the case with other vessel ship carriers, the reason being the ship commandants wanted to protect the passengers from enemy bombing, or rather, wanted to save their treasured ship from being turned into smithereens by a chance torpedo hit dressed in enmity. This was war; every passenger ship carrier would have to show caution.

When the ship arrived at Port in Marseille — the changeover stop. Marjorie remembered sighing; the 7-week voyage had been a lethargic journey for every passenger - mentally and physically draining. Marjorie was even more surprised when there were no porters to receive them. This left her with the tedious task of carrying her bulky luggage as she troddled to the Paris train station.

She eventually caught a train from Paris to Le Havre. As she began to relax and put all the journey troubles behind her, Marjorie became more aware as she had not been during her short stay in France. She started to discern the ominous atmosphere afloat in the surroundings of the train, everyone looked gloomy, and seemed to be inundated with heavy suitcases. Looking out of the window, the countryside though nice remained very still.

When she got off at Le Havre, she also felt a sense of alertness among the French, despite the fact that no fighting had begun in France - the war was still in its preliminary stages. Little was Marjorie to know that in little more than a few years, there wouldn’t be much to salvage from this war-torn country.

Marjorie also seemed to remember a 24-hour blackout in transit on her way to Le Havre. Marjorie then boarded a ship from Le Havre by way of the English Channel to Southampton. Her lasting reminder of her stay was that France had being unwelcoming.

In the midst of all this commotion — the journey and the war, she had to remember she had come to England to get married. On arrival, she stayed in Witton in Middlesex County for 3 weeks for preparation of the marriage - bride gowns, ring bearer and allsorts, eventually getting married in a Chapel in Twickenham.

After the marriage her husband had to resume post at St. Vincent in Gospot where he had previously being stationed. Marjorie though had resolutely decided that she would always be at the side of her newly wedded husband. Together they purchased a furnished private house in Rainham, Kent, quite close to his station.

After some time at Gospot, Naval Officer Alder was again posted abroad to guard the pacific waters. During this period Alder seldom came home.

Like most war-time heroes- Officer Alder never opened up about his war time experiences, he was either too modest or shocked — Marjorie was only too glad to see him when he came home and she did not like to be too curious when he was around. Though there was the one time where he mentioned that his ship had just missed the bombing of the 3 battleships in Singapore, Alder kept his statements about the war vague.

When Officer Alder returned from fighting overseas, he was assigned to the Portsmouth seawaters and stationed as a Home Front officer. Marjorie had given birth to a son while he was away and there were tears in his eye when he saw his son for the first time. Marjorie and her son decided to leave their current abode in Rainham, and move to Fareham in Portsmouth closer to daddy.

Portsmouth was where the Royal Navy had their main base and installations, crucially making it a key naval seaside town during the war. The consequence of this was that Portsmouth was often targeted by the German air-bombers.

Marjorie stated that the bombings happened mostly during the night. Marjorie and her son had even become used to the blackout and intermittent German air raids. When the very loud air raid siren-, which used to act as a caveat - went off. Marjorie had repeatedly carried her son and run under the large coffee table, holding him tightly and waiting impatiently for the all clear. Strangely enough the all clear had been another siren wail, which made it altogether somewhat frightening.

During her stay in Portsmouth and while her husband was away on his job. Marjorie kept herself entertained by standing outside in her garden and watching ‘Dogfights’. Dogfights were the air battles between British and the German planes. The British RAFs fighters tried intercepting the German messerschmitt attempting to drop mines on British soil. Marjorie claimed this was much more fun than listening to the radio. Marjorie claimed that the dogged persistence of the Royal Air Force always managed to culminate in successful fending off of the Germans, so it was indeed a safe hobby.

Most of the community mostly women and children took part as well in watching the dogfights - acting almost like spectators, as they would distantly clap off the R.A.F in the sky above.

During the war the residents of Portsmouth were very close, people would help to build shelters, and offer tea and biscuits to distraught neighbours. Marjorie on the other hand was not one of those whose spirits easily came down, she had already experienced the First World War as a kid in Scarborough and she had been bolstered by a dramatic event where she came in close contact with an enemy Zeplin war ship.

Marjorie though did claim there were hard times when it came to feeding her child. Like all cities in the U.K, Portsmouth held a very stringent rationing segment. In the morning Marjorie and her boy would have to go to the ration shop, not forgetting to carry a ration book, where they were given certain amount of food based on the size of the family and the stratified category of the individuals in the family under age, but not sex. Marjorie commented about the rationing situation - ‘naturally, there were black markets with excessively priced food but I was satisfied, and you just had to …… accept, I knew we were in a war’.

Surprisingly trade of goods with money also existed; it operated in the same way as the rationing. A few Grocers were often open in the morning and sometimes Marjorie would walk there to purchase anything she urgently needed. Expectantly there was always a large queue, these grocers offered goods that were hard to come by in that area at a reasonable price.

As the money withered Marjorie began working as an ophthalmologist again, and she had to commute between Portsmouth and Bournemouth. Bournemouth was where the medic centre was.

By 1943-44, the war was at its worst (devastating), The Germans switched to a concentrated strategy of dropping mines over Britain. This palpably affected Portsmouth — a strategic quarter of the naval base. At this time Marjorie’s husband began to spend some more time with his family as he remarkably coped with working in the navy. He joined a mine sweeping movement in their town, eventually rising to head the project. Alder’s experience as a wartime sailor had put him forth. Alder’s voluntary job continued to the end of the war while he tried to balance it with fighting in the Navy.

In 1945, after the British conquered the Germans, there was the general triumphant joy shown through celebrations involving fireworks, the crowd singing with no care in the world and waiving their flags incessantly back and forth. Marjorie just had the quiet smirk on her face; she was soulful glad that she could now spend quality time with her husband.

The family moved on to Ireland and went on to add two more children - ‘a girl and boy’ - to the household.

In 2005, as we speak, Naval Officer Alder is one of the many quixotic
War heroes who have found peace and been given eternal life. Marjorie is hopeful of joining him soon.

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