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We returned home, Ron returned to his unit and I continued to work at the M.O.S. We divided what money we had left between us it was £1.10s. each. I never saw Ron again, until he came home on ‘leave’, nearly a year later, by this time I had managed to save the Army wives allowance, which was £3.10s. per week. It had mounted up enough for us to buy ‘utility’ furniture, which we would need if I was able to get a place of our own to liveI continued working and travelling on the train to London, all station names were removed, and gradually a lot of railings from around gardens were removed too,(taken to make munitions). Chocolate machines were empty, we had to use our sweet coupons at the shop, I loved chocolate and vowed that when the war was over I would buy a whole quarter pound bar all to myself ,but rationing continued for a while, even when the war finished. Silk stockings were 1s.11d.per pr. and they laddered very easily, so most young women resorted to painting their legs with make-up and even painting a black line to resemble a seam,(which silk stockings had.) Eventually ‘nylons ‘appeared and were stronger, these stockings were first talked about when the American soldiers arrived to serve in our country. We were able to buy them from our shops in time. The Americans, and Canadians, were so different from our boys and a number of girls really fell for them,

One day a ‘doodle-bug’ crashed near to our building , I think it actually came down in Aldwych, these were really awful ‘instruments of war’, they were flying bombs without pilots, silent , and causing a lot of blast damage. It was decided when I got home that evening , perhaps I should go and stay for awhile with Ron’s mother , and take my youngest sister with me, and so we set off for Yorkshire not even able to let them know we would be arriving. Yorkshire was having a quiet time from the bombing, having had a bad spell, when the air-raids were intense and concentrated on Britains steel industry .

We caught a train to Sheffield, it was a long slow journey and it was very late at night and dark when we got off the train, there was no transport whatsover to Rotherham, no train, bus or tram, so we set off to walk the 7 miles or so. A lorry did stop and ask where we were going, it was an Army vehicle and with great apologies the driver explained he was not allowed to give us a lift. We did not see another vehicle and when we arrived at our destination, it was all very dark and the whole street was in bed. I did not feel very comfortable about waking anyone up so we sat down in a corner by the back door. It was absolute bliss really, it was a bright moonlit night not a sound, no planes, no bombs and we were prepared to sit it out till day light. As we huddled together, the next door neighbour came out of his back door which was quite near, to make a bottle for the baby and he was emptying some water down the drain, caught sight of us and hammered on my in-laws door, to wake Ron’s mother up she soon appeared and to my relief was very welcoming, after a drink she made a bed up for us and no doubt we slept soundly, I do not remember, it was just a bit overwhelming and we were so grateful.

My mother took advantage of a bus which left Bromley each evening to take anyone to Chistlehurst caves, where it was safe to spend the night, it was equipped with a snack bar and facilities to sleep. My twin sisters, Shirley and Jacqueline did not wish to go and stayed with my father and ran to the shelter when it became necessary.

Gwen did not stay long in Rotherham, I think she missed my mother and was soon back home joining her in Chistlehurst at night.

It was compulsory for everyone able, to take a job. Having had just less than 5yrs. clerical experience I realised that it was quite likely that I would be ‘directed’ into a factory on ‘war work’, luckily for me a friend of the family managed to get me an interview at the Borough Treasurer’s Dept. and the Employment Agency allowed me to take a position in the Audit Dept. mainly because I could do shorthand and typing and had worked in a Government Office. Maths was definitely not my favourite subject, but I got by. Most offices’ permanent staff had either volunteered or been ‘called up’ for active service and once again I became a ‘temporary’, when the men returned they had to have their jobs back.
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As the air raids in London decresed I returned back home. I heard of a flat that would be vacant if I was prepared to clean it, the rent was £1. pr wk. I did clean the flat which, was in a disgusting state after work and at week-ends, it was a first floor flat in a row of terrace houses, mice were the worst thing to get rid of, in fact , when I did move in they were still there, scurrying about under the floor-boards, the wretched things had been there a very long time, I am sure. A Decorator painted the rooms which consisted of a bedroom, living room, no bathroom, the toilet was outside the back door, there was a tiny kitchen just big enough for a cooker and sink, and stairs led down to a long narrow garden, at the bottom there was a gorgeous cherry tree , which had luscious dark red fruit. The Decorator used ‘Distemper ‘to paint the walls, emulsion paint not heard of then but when our ‘utility’ furniture was in place it looked quite pleasant, it was so good to have a home of our own. I continued to go home at week-ends, for a bath and Sunday lunch .

As I write this or when I lie in bed at night, memories come flooding back:-

Pins and paper-clips were in short supply, and two pieces of paper were secured together by turning over the corners and putting in two little tears and turning the tiny centre piece down.
Envelopes posted internally from office to office were used over again many times.
A friend who helped out at a Sunday school party, told me she provided ‘banana’ sandwiches for the children by mashing cold cooked parsnip with banana essence. Bananas were just not available.
The Photographer at our wedding, produced just one coloured photograph, he had hand coloured one for us.
One day I decided to use my sweet coupons on some gorgeous looking chocolates on sale in a very smart shop in Aldwych. When I took a bite into one of them, I expected luscious cream but it turned out to be just a chocolate covered ‘prune’!
A ‘black-out’ was in force and curtains had to lined with black fabric, not a chink of light must escape.
A fabric called ‘scrim’ was often stuck to large shop windows, it was a fine net, which lessened the damage, if the windows were ‘blown-out’
My Aunt lived in Penge, not too far away from where I lived with my family, she had a lovely family and I liked to visit them, and can remember my Uncle was a first-war gas victim and just sat all day in a chair, just shaking all over. This wasn’t her only problem as one of her sons, a rear air-gunner was killed on a bombing raid. One thing I did enjoy immensely was her apple pie with ‘cream’ which was made from, margarine and sugar creamed together and mixed with set cornflour, like blancmange.
Acetone was used as nail varnish remover .
Dried eggs were used for cooking purposes, quite good in cakes and Yorkshire pudding or’ batter pudding’ as my mother called it.
Hats for ladies were replaced by head scarves or scarves tied up like turbans
No street lighting made walking home in the dark very difficult.
Houses were often requisitioned (confiscated), usually very desirable homes and used for the Governments own purposes, the Barracks that Ron’s unit were in was someone’s home they were re-housed into something smaller.
My wedding ring, which I had to choose, Ron had no time and the size was important, came from ‘Bravingtons’ in Fleet St., a Jewellers I had to pass on my walk into the office each morning . It was made from 22ct. which, was gradually being replaced by 9ct. gold, I was pleased with it ,it had orange blossom chased on it , only slim but it was different, over the years that pretty design has smoothed away. It cost £10. And that was a lot of money then!
We never did have time to get ‘engaged’, Ron wanted me to have a ring, on his first leave he presented me with one, he had never smoked, and sold his ration to his fellow soldiers, and was able to buy me a very beautiful diamond and ruby ring, which is ‘diamond’ shaped with the ruby in the centre and surrounded by 14 small diamonds , I wear it every day. I still have the box it came in, and the Juwelier’s name A.CLEMENS HAMBURG 22 Hamburgerstr. 32 a.is printed inside. Pictures
Ron brought home showing the devastation caused by the bombing, I don’t suppose it is now in existance.
On Rons’first leave from Europe, he had raging tooth-ache not just one tooth, all of them were hurting, it seems he had caught a gum complaint called ‘gingervitus’, from a very battered enamel’ army issue’ mug, resulting in him losing all his teeth on return to ‘civvy street’.
We had a delayed honeymoon when Ron came home on ‘demob leave’, he was still in uniform, not yet officially discharged. We went to Yarmouth and the beach was still covered with ‘barbed wire’, it was a long time before all obstacles were removed from our beaches.

Eventually Ron was officially demobbed, with all the necessary papers and a ‘demob’ suit, which was made of a rough tweed. The first time he wore it in the rain, it shrank beyond all redemption!.

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