My Memories of War - by my Nanna, Magaret Southards

I left the then called Secondary School in March 1940 at 16 ½ yrs old, having done a secretarial course and got the chance to go and work in the offices of a Cement Works (very essential for war). Wages were very low, my first 12/6d plus a war bonus when we were being called up for the forces.
I cycled to work for about 1 yr and then my Grandfather (a farmer) bought me a little Austin Seven and because of my Grandfather and Father being farmers, and me working for the war effort, we managed to get petrol coupons which incidentally were rationed.
I can’t remember being affected too much by clothes rationing because we all got points or coupons and having an old Grandfather and friend who didn’t want many new clothes, I didn’t do too badly. There was a scheme at some schools where parents would take children’s clothes in particularly and exchange them.
I was one of the very fortunate again, living on a farm where we had hens, rabbits, milk, cream, pigs, grew potatoes and veg, so I never knew much shortage of food.
We had identity cards so if stopped we could prove who we were. The sad thing was that several of our planes crashed on the hills around our area. We did have a search light battery. All this caused our pretty little village to come alive as in the early days they stripped the planes down and rescued as much as possible and they were not all fatal crashes, so that meant that we had forces stationed in the village, RAF and soldiers, so there were regular dances etc. in the Village School.
After Dunkirk, a lot of the survivors etc. were brought in and stationed in the old derelict mill in the village until they could be sorted out.
Vera Lyn was named the Forces Favourite and I think it was every Sunday night she had a programme on the Radio which was very emotional.
We were living in the flight line directly between Manchester and Sheffield which were heavily bombed and we could see the gun fire etc. from Sheffield. There was not much in the Valley for the Germans to aim at, only the Cement Works, but thankfully they didn’t catch it.
We did have evacuees around the Valley particularly from Shoeberryness and I know some still keep in touch with the people they stayed with.
By the time the war ended I had met my husband to be who had been on the aircraft carrier “Illustrious” and he was on leave on the very day the end or the WW was announced, so was given extra leave. Everybody celebrated with street parties, dances, private parties, we were all so relieved.
When my husband a Petty Officer was demobbed in Feb 1946 — his war gratuity and Post War Credit was £73.2.00 (£73.10). He got the Burma Star and Pacific Clasp and was one of the more fortunate as he saw a lot of the world, which he would not have otherwise seen and came home uninjured.

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