大象传媒

I was on a landing ship, HMS Northway and on VE Day itself we ferried over 47 DUCKS on the landing ship dock at first light. We sailed fast. I had a grand-stand view of everything. But the thing that sticks in my mind is the bodies. There were a lot of bodies floating about. Now, men float face down, women float face up for some reason. This is true.

I went down the gangways to try to pull the bodies aboard and I was ordered not to. I was not allowed to get their dog-tags off or anything. I was ordered by my officer. I don't know what his reasons were. I can only think that he was frightened to have them, he was frightened that it might be bad for moral. He wouldn't say. I felt quite upset about that. In fact it haunted me for years. Apart from that, I can't complain. I had a wonderful war.

On the 30th anniversiary I went back to where we landed and I shouted out 'I'm sorry mates but I did try'.

I was one of eight, five girls, three boys. The eldest one was didn't see any of them for a good year and a half. The bombing was second nature because you had it every night.

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