My Teenage Years during WWII

My story starts in 1940, when I was directed into War Work, at A.V.Roe, at the age of 16 years. I hated it at first, then my friend had to go on nights. I asked could I go with her. I got permission. The men already working nights didn't want us, but we didn't care, we just got on with building the mighty Lancaster Bomber. Eventually the men came round and we all got on well together.
We worked from 7pm until 7am, seven nights a week, for about 18 months, with one Sunday night off every six weeks.
At last, we got Saturday nights off.
I worked on the bomb doors, undercarriage doors, outer and inner skins, trailing edge, ailerons and nacelles. It was interesting and exciting times for a youngster, and I became the fastest riveter and driller on nights.
Two afternoons a week, we used to get up (from sleeping off the night shift), and go dancing to the Plaza and Ritz in Manchester. I met a Yank there, who came from Paris, in Texas. We didn't care for the Yanks at first, as they were always bragging. After a while we became good friends, that's all it was, until he was posted to Germany. He wanted me to wait for him, then marry him, but I was too young and I was enjoying life for any of that.
I was proud of the fact that I was helping to build the finest Bomber of all time.
It was my parents that did the worrying, especially when we had to work through the air raids, until the signal for the imminent danger went, then we had to troop down to the cellars which had cinder floors, and whitewashed walls, with cockroaches crawling up the walls.
I joined the Civil Defence to do First Aid and Fire Watch duties, which allowed me to go up on the roof (away from those awful cockroaches - they gave me the creeps!)
Whilst up on the roof we had to keep an eye out for incendiary bombs.
I didn't have much home life, because as soon as I had finished my night-shift, I used to walk home from Avros, and take a cup of tea up to my Mum in bed. Once a week it was my job to blacklead the big range which we had, where my Mum did all her cooking and baking. Then up to bed I went - not before I put 40 steel hair rollers in my hair, which I did every morning before going to bed. I took pride in my hair. I used to have my face powder mixed to my satisfaction from Lewis's, Manchester. They had a counter specially for make-up, and it cost me a shilling. (five pence today). Just because I didn't have a lot of social life didn't mean I couldn't have my hair and make-up nice!
There is so much to tell about the War Years, I can only put it in a nutshell. My daughter, Glenise has said to me "Mum, why don't you write a book about the War Years, and your experiences?" I suppose I could, but I'm afraid so much happened that I would be writing forever - I could fill volumes, same as everyone else of my age.
I am now 82 years old, but I still have my memories, and no one can take those away from me. I need glasses, have false teeth, and I make mistakes now when I write to anyone, but what do you expect at my age?
My wage for working all those hours on nights was £5 a week, and I would not be on full money until I was 21yrs of age. Every birthday you got a small rise (and I mean small!) To help out at home (there was Mum and Dad, and seven other brothers and sisters - I was the eldest), I took a Saturday job at Lewis's, Manchester. After working a 12 hour night shift on the Friday, I went down to work at Lewis's on the Saturday from 8.30am until 6pm , and received 7 shillings and sixpence.
When we finished work at 6pm, my friends and I went over to Piccadilly toilets, to have a wash and brush up, then went either to the pictures, or to a pub, that's if they hadn't sold out of beer!
Went home to bed after our night out, and slept all day Sunday until it was time for my night-shift at 7pm Sunday night.
It was hard work, but I loved every minute of the five years I spent on nights, working on the famous Lancaster Bomber at A.V. Roe.
For my Civil Defence work on First Aid and Fire Watch duties, I received the Civil Defence Medal.
Hard Times, but Happy Days and Happy Memories!

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