Working Through War

Home Memories of World War 2: Working in a Laboratory in Leicester

I spoke to Margaret, who is 83 years old, and lives in the Rushey Mead Manor residential home....

The Rat Catcher

I was a teenager living in Foresly Park near Daventry in Northants. My dad was employed by the War Ag, and...

Keeping the People Fed (A Grocers story)

Cheeses came whole with a Linen Rind which had to be stripped off, a horrible job. Our shop was in Filton,...

Mind your Language Girls...

My aunt got me a job in a factory, Parkhall pottery in Longton - it made pottery for submarines and bits...

The Baedecker Raids

I was the secretary to the Sections Officer for Number 7 area at Newmarket, Civil Engineers responsible for...

Civilian Contribution to D-Day

He was retained for civilian work and all through the war was in portsmouth keeping the telephones working...

Nuneaton School Teacher

I was an infant school teacher in Nuneaton, in charge of a class of five-year-olds. The children, in an...

From Smiths to Rolls Royce in Derby

I was transferred by the government from Smiths to Rolls Royce, in the coppersmiths shop....

St Helier to Hill Court

He missed me in Jersey - the bombers arrived as I left with my parents on the last mailboat to get away...

A Student's Wartime Memories: In Bedford

The first on a scrap merchant's yard to the rear of Prebend Street, the second one was a direct hit on...

Freddy Harding's Wartime Memories of Deptford

Freddy was one of those people who had no fear of heights, taking on the job among others, of painting out...

Reminiscences of a Meltonian

I later went to work for Boulton and Paul helping to make the Horsa gliders which were used in the Arnhem...

Well Camouflaged

During the war I worked at the Denham Film Studios in Bucks as a clapper Boy and sometimes had assighnments...

A Wartime Work Experience

My war story starts when I was sixteen and went to work for BSA factory in Newcastle-under-Lyme... Then,...

Fish and Chips

My parents had a fryer in a parade of shops in Chalk Farm, London... We used to get visits from chauffers...

Memories of Tyne and Wear: A Shipyard Worker and an Air Raid Warden

I worked all my life in Wallsend shipyards, North Tyneside ....

Memories of the Second World War

John went to France for D Day landings. My two daughters went to Normandy to celebrate the 2nd Battalion,...

Bringing Up Baby Alone

Our son was born in December 1942 and Edward, my husband, was allowed home to see his son when he was two...

Life as a Teacher during WW2 Part 4

In the war the Americans used to send boxes of fruit etc which were divided up in the area, the Biscovey...

Homefront Story

My boyfriend was called up in 1940 and we decided to marry in 1942 at Wymondham Methodist Church. My mum...

Air-born radar operated torpedo

I was serving a 5yr engineering apprenticeship at BTH Rugby from 1943-8 and part of my time was involved in...

War time story of Mary Franks

For my war effort I was sent to Castle Bromwich aircraft factory. I left my home in Washington County...

Crossed Lines

Living in Central London, I was then put to work in Holborn... A letter of appreciation was sent to our...

MUNITIONS IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

We lived next door to the Chilwell ammunition depot so were always expecting raids... The glow of the fires...

1939 - 1945 Wartime Experience: W H Smith and the Royal Fusiliers

My Father was a railway employee with the Great Northern Railway, working at Kings Cross goods department...

Memories of Erdington

Another night when they bombed Coventry we were down the shelter for hours and hours with the planes...