Signing Up

"On September 1, 1939, I was in charge of the Women's Surgical Unit in Bury General Infirmary. Without warning one day a phone call requested me to go to Matron's office, which in those days was a daunting prospect.
When I arrived, wondering what on earth I had done to merit a reprimand, Mr Wilkinson, the Hospital Superintendent, was with Matron. They were looking at the contents of a large brown envelope. I didn't know it at the time but envelopes like this one had been sent to all hospitals with instructions 'to be opened in a National Emergency'. I was simply asked if I would volunteer to join the Army. Things were unsettled in Europe at this time, of course, following Neville Chamberlain's talks with Adolf Hitler in 1938 and his subsequent return with his 'bit of paper'. However, this was totally unexpected and I replied that I could not volunteer to join the Army because I had my living to earn. To this Matron responded that I would receive a salary. I then agreed to go, was given my railway warrant and told to go and pack. I was to leave Manchester Piccadilly on the midday train.

I was met at my destination along with some other ladies and we were loaded into army trucks and driven to the reception tent. I remember that there were numerous trestle tables and benches on which we could sit. This relatively comfortable state of affairs did not last: there was a thunderstorm with torrential rain which caused rivers of water to run through the tent. We therefore had to kneel on the benches to give our particulars.

We were allocated to various houses as our lodgings. Four of us were billeted with a Colonel and his wife, who greatly resented having us there and relegated us to the kitchens! The next day we were informed of the rules of uniform and directed to Boyd, Coopers and Harrods, the approved stockists.

On Sunday September 3 we were assembled at the Louise Margaret Hospital and the Cambridge Hospital, both in Aldershot, to put our signatures on the various forms. Mr Chamberlain came over the radio to inform us and the whole country that we were now at war with Germany. I had just put my signature on the appropriate form to join Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (Reserves). I was 23 years old, war had just broken out and I was in the forces."

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