My Memories of World War 11: Southend on Sea

MY MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR 11

On glorious Sunday morning, 3 September 1939, war with Germany was declared. I was just one month away from my 18th Birthday. And with this news, I thought my life was finished! Blackouts and restrictions loomed! I was, at the time a shop assistant, and thought war service had to be considered. They were recruiting for local women, to be telephonists, at the local Fire Station. So after a period of time, I enrolled.

Eventually it became the Fourth Arm of the Services and into uniform, so my life as a ‘Firewoman’ began, at the telephone switchboard of a Fire Station, and learning the relevant skills, such as fire call outs; air raid warnings; pump drill with hoses from fire engines; stirrup pump drills; mobile canteen services. The years of war stretched on, it seemed endless, as it did for everyone. However it was not all doom and gloom, we were moved around to different stations and made new friends as we did so.
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Then there were the preparations for D Day! I was transferred to the coast for duty, when this happened, this in itself was exciting because of the trappings of war needed to carry out this gigantic plan. Transport vehicles and Tanks of every kind, parked in every street and lane for miles around. On the sea, the formation of Naval vessels, as far as the eye could see. A wonderful sight to behold!

In the position we were stationed we were ‘privileged’ (if that’s the word to use) of seeing the first (‘Doodle Bug’) to enter England, flying up the Thames Estuary towards London. Added to all this, I met my future husband, who had volunteered at the onset of war, and had seen duty at ‘ Dunkirk’. We were married, he went to do service overseas, and came home safely in 1946 to be demobilised. We settled down to married life. Sadly we were parted in 2001 after 56 years together.

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