PARENTS

Father was offered a post of Coastguard for the local coast line and did daily patrols as it was feared that our area was very easy to access by sea. One day when he went on duty unknown to him a row of mines had been planted the day before and he walked down their path way. Someone was looking over his shoulder because each step he took went between the mines; his fellow colleagues looked on in horror not daring to shout a warning. His colleagues got a severe reprimand for not recording that the mines had been buried as part of the sea defences.

The Army and Air force arrived at our village because being so near to the coast the local cliffs were an ideal place to have search lights and gun stations to attack the enemy planes as they came across the channel. We were then asked to billet some women WAAF personal two of whom I remember well Audrey and Kit. They helped to man the local radar towers in our vicinity and the girls were like big sisters to me. The Soldiers used to use our house also for writing letters home and to have a bit of rest so they were like Uncles and I was never short of candy or chocolate hence my love of chocolate remains with me today?

My Mother was a member of the Woman’s Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) and she along with other volunteer ladies from the village used to go to the local forces canteen in the evenings to cook, mainly eggs or sausages and chips for the service men and women and to keep the Tea Urn going. My Auntie who used to stay with us and my sister before she enlisted used to also help out when they could. The canteen was only down the road from our house but there was a sentry box on the way and the guard on duty would shout “who goes there” and ask “friend or foe”? We were not allowed to pass through until we had shown our identity card.

My mother worked all the war years for the WRVS and was awarded a badge and medal but I have no idea where they ended up when she left our house to go into sheltered accommodation.