Four Years In A Lifetime A Lifetime In Four Years Chapter 10

Chapter 10
The war ground on there was so much more optimism and we all sensed that we were working to its end.
Christmas 1944. We celebrated but then we knew how to do that. Vic was near the end of his tour, one more op……..It was not easy waiting. Our wedding was scheduled for December 30th. He went on his last op. I was in the mess at a party and being plied with drinks. I never really drank very much and I could easily make one drink last all night, and my friends knew that. Then I realised they knew something I didn’t…..Vic had not returned to base. Actually I later found out he had landed away, he arrived back at base the next morning safe and well.
We left York on the train for London on the 29th of December 1944, we arrived late at night. The wedding was the next day, all the crew were there, Vic’s cousin Vi acted as bridesmaid. I did not meet her until we were ready to set off for the wedding. No one from my family was there it was decidedly weird. My mother in law had managed a table of food and a cake, I never knew but the cake was the centrepiece we followed tradition, both our hands on the cake knife and press down, it was hilarious the icing cracked and flew around like ceiling plaster, the inside crumbled and we literally fell about laughing am my mother-in-law ranted and raved (I learned some new words that day) at the suppliers of the cake. When the dust settled Mama played the piano and we sang everything, well that is what did in those days. Then to bed, the crew slept in the shelter which was used as a table. We were given Mama and Pop’s room our wedding night we were exhausted all we wanted to do was sleep and we did.
The crew went off to continue their leave the next day. We spent our honeymoon at Vic’s parent’s home, 2 weeks for me, and then when we eventually returned to our Squadrons we had married quarters in the feathers hotel in Pocklington and so did Gus Walker and his wife. Not many people have their C.O at the bedroom door in the morning. The arrangement was really simple I became his driver on a semi permanent basis. Some days I took the Padre around but mostly I drove my C.O from our hotel to his office and whenever his schedule required and at the end of the day I drove him back to our hotel. I don’t remember what Vic’s job was officially. He was involved some how or another with an Italian prisoner of war camp up the road somewhere and he was liaising with Elvington. I seemed to drive for miles some days and sit around for hours other days. The Feathers Hotel, well that was married quarters with a difference, a real country hotel, Chintz curtains floral but muted colours, comfy bed, it was peaceful although being in a village we were not far from the aerodrome. I became pregnant but lost it before I was demobbed. Vic was posted to Merryfield - Costal Command, Dakotas, mostly runs to India and I was a civilian living with family I hardly knew, in an area Harrow on the Hill and needed to get a job or something to occupy the time until Vic was also demobbed. My war was more or less over, both Vic and I had survived now we had another battle surviving in civvy street. We had prayed for peace, hoped for a better world, gone from school kids just out to a married couple with no idea what to do next. I was far from easy.
In 7 months I will be 80 years old, Vic died 14 years ago I have a wonderful large family I am blessed and I know it.
The years of the war stay with me, they moulded my life to a large extent. The old men remember too, they still talk about their experiences. Until now I do not think I have talked about my experiences except odd instances, and I have never met anyone who was a WAAF in Bomber Command to talk with, and it is too late now.

Four episodes in the war helped to decide the direction my life would take, plus my experiences after the war.

The War Times:
1) At the age of fifteen , in 1939 I became and air raid messenger for the area of villages where my home was in Yorkshire. One task which I truly hated was helping to fit gas mask to the very young children.
2) The children in Plymouth.
3) Seeing crowds of children leaving their homes and families — Evacuation.
4) The children in the areas where I was stationed as I shared my sweet ration with them.

After the War:
1) My first two children were deformed and died at birth. The prognosis was that I may never have children of my own, having lost others in the early part of pregnancy.

So I became a teacher. At the age of 14 or 15 that was the last on my list of ‘want to be’
I wanted so very much to pursue a life on the stage but I am so very glad I became a teacher, working with children was a wonderful life, and yes eventually at the age of 30 I had my own child and then two more. From my children I have quite a number of grandchildren and great grandchildren, and I cherish them all dearly. My life has been good and still is.

Audrey St. John-Brown Now aged 81 and living in Spain

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