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This story has been submitted to the People's War site by Christine Wadsworth of Wakefield Libraries and Information Services on behalf of Kathleen and has been added to the site with her permission. The author fully understands the site'sterms and conditions.

I worked in the offices of John Fowler’s in Hunslet, which manufactured Churchill Tanks. I cycled from my home in Bower’s Row and back every day. At the time I was going out with a boy in the drawing office, until he was transferred- he used to bring letters in for me to type. Miss Meadows was in charge of the typing pool and Mr Kenny, labour manager for Leeds.

Jimmy my boyfriend was transferred to the RAF at Farnborough, so we decided to get married and rang up for a special licence for Aldershot Parish Church. My mother made all my clothes from parachute silk, she dyed some material, got old suits cut them up and washed the pieces, and re-used them for clothes. She made me a skirt out of wide-bottomed trousers.

It was 1944, We looked for digs near the airfield at Farnborough. The noticeboard listed vacant places to live. Another couple said that they would go halves with us to rent a house — two rooms each — we’ve been friends ever since with Clara and Basil.

At the end of the War, we were told that we could come home, our fares paid for, so we came up home to Leeds. We got a little house in Armley and I worked for a solicitors in Leeds, whilst Jimmy worked for Coghlands in Hunslet, as a draughtsman.

I had two brothers who were in the forces. The War started in September and John joined the Navy in November. He was torpedoed three times and was sent home a shattered man. Albert joined the Army and was stationed in Kirkintilloch, Scotland.

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