大象传媒

I was stationed in Birkenhead with the 214th Ack Ack Battery. A friend of my husband鈥檚 cousin had a letter saying they wanted someone to write to, a penpal, so I wrote a letter in May 1945 which went to Italy and we carried on writing to each other and sometimes included photographs. He came back to England on home leave and we met up on the 5th September 1945 on Paddington Station. When we met, we just walked up to each other and looked and said 鈥榟ello鈥�. On the 15th September 1945 we were married. We were together for two weeks after that my husband returned to Yugoslavia and was there for one more year. He came home in 1946.

We had a white wedding, however as there were very few clothes coupons so I borrowed a wedding dress from my sister-in-law and bought a veil. We had a special licence to get married which cost 拢2. There were three bridesmaids and we were married at St Peter鈥檚 Church, Gorse Hill, Stretford, Manchester. The Church had been bombed and there was a tarpaulin on the front. The organ was drowned out by the sound of the traffic outside. Aunties and uncles were surprised at the wedding because they didn鈥檛 know we were going to get married. My husband鈥檚 brother was the best man. I remember telling my mother and father and they were surprised 鈥� my mother was pleased and she was fond of my husband to be. When we were driving from the Church to the train station I remember thinking, 鈥極h what have I done!鈥� but it has all worked out.

There was a big reception for 100 people in Blackpool and a two week honeymoon afterwards. At the wedding reception there was a cartoon which read, 鈥淗er demob number was so high she had to do something desperate!鈥� A laugh at us because we only laid eyes on each other only 10 days before marrying! For the wedding reception we had a caterer and my sister-in-law made a two tier cake.

There were no wedding present list then 鈥� we received six water sets. I stayed in the forces for six weeks after we were married.

We were married for two years and had a daughter and now have three grown up grand children. My husband is eighty four and I am eighty three year old.

When I joined the Army I was asked what would I like to do and having been a shop assistant I said I wanted to be a storewoman. However I was asked whether I would like to be a driver. I said that I couldn鈥檛 drive, but I would give it a try. I was sent to an MT unit where they teach you to drive. It was a twelve week course in North Wales. They taught you map reading and first aid too. We used to laugh about the kangaroo petrol. We were given a trial test. I remember one snotty officer who said I couldn鈥檛 go for my test but my instructor said I should go on and do it. After the test the officer said I could start my solo driving. On my first solo drive I was transporting some soldiers who were from Grassford, the sergeant who was sitting beside asked me when I passed my driving test. He wanted to jump out when he heard that I had only passed the day before.

I spent 18 months driving for a horrible Major. He was proud of the fact that he had a certificate to say that he was sane! (He had been in a mental institution.) One time I had to drive him to the dock and he left me waiting and waiting. I checked in the pub 鈥� he had left with some Naval Officers. I then rang my unit to ask what I should do. They said they would send the sergeant major to relieve me. At this time the Major returned 鈥� drunk! I was told that I should report him but I didn鈥檛 think that was a good idea. Another time when I was driving for this Major, he had two American friends with him and one of them asked the Major if he could give the lady (me) a kiss. I pulled out a spanner that I kept under my driver鈥檚 seat and that was the end of that.

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