MY SIX YEARS OF WAR Part 3 by Olive Tyrie

“MY 6 YEARS OF WAR — Part 3” by Olive Tyrie

I joined the Middlesex 262 Detachment, Wembley Division with lectures given by Sister Barnet and Commandant Collins, starting on Wednesday 25th August 1943. I enjoyed three lectures and then there was a Red Cross Social at the St. Johns Hall (dance and refreshments). Met the various girls of 262 and other detachments, also the respective Commandants. Four more lectures and on Sunday 10th October we were instructed to meet outside the Empire Pool (30 of us girls ) and a young cadet took us marching (under the supervision of a Naval Officer. To be fair to him he was very good, but the idea of teaching girls to march amused him greatly. We did quite well and they wanted us to go every Sunday morning until further notice.

More lectures and on the 7th November we were outside the Empire Pool again. We were so good — couldn’t make a mistake. So told we were going to take it in turns to drill the squad — at this stage we were all laughing as not one of us shouted orders loud enough and the squad was in a mess, here there and everywhere..

Then came our first exam for HOME NURSING held at the Red Cross Lecture Post . There were four written questions, four oral questions. and a practical which took two hours. I was nervous, but I passed with 83%.

FIRST AID was our next course. After five lectures, we had some good fun at the Red Cross dance held at St. Michael’s Hall. Then we finished the course and had our second exam — similar to the first but this time I received 75% and I was disappointed.

My first duty was at the Rest Centre from 8 pm to 6. am. There was one W.V.S. lady and we stayed together. Siren went off at 11.44pm and the all clear at 1.50am Heavy gun fire but no casualties (thank goodness, I thought) Had an alarm call from the exchange at 5.45 so that I could get home, wash and change, have breakfast, and set off for Beaconsfield. This I kept up on every Friday evening.

I had passed the exams and was now a Red Cross nurse ready for duty.
I was able to buy my uniform. Navy blue heavy coat and cap cost me £5.10s.
Indoor uniform £2.

Meanwhile, the Nazis did not know the determination of the British. We would never give in and let them rule us in our own country. The Americans at last arrived, and we also had the Canadians, Australians, and our Commonwealth to help us plan and attack, taking the Germans by surprise by landing on three different places and encircling the enemy who were waiting in Calais. It was not long before they were marching across France and into Germany:

TUESDAY 6th JUNE 1944 — “D” Day. Troops landed on the coast of Normandy at 6.O0am. Heavy fighting in progress. I was at Beaconsfield when the news came through and very little work was done that day. We were all listening to the information coming through on the wireless and talking about it.

Wednesday 14th June 1944. 8 pm at the Palace of Arts, a very interesting lecture on “War Wounds and Burns” by Dr. Calcott. . I really enjoyed it — a good lecture and excellent lecturer.

Friday 16th June 1944. Duty at Rest Centre. 3-raids during the night. Pilotless Bombers overhead. Hitler’s Secret Weapon. Started using them on Thursday evening. They look like an ordinary plane and fly like an ordinary plane. When the tale light goes out and the engine stops the plane drops like a stone and explodes on reaching the ground. No casualties in our area needing our attention

Friday 23rd June. Duty at Rest Centre. Two raids lO.30 — 12.15
12.35 — 5.45 am
No incidents for us to deal with.

Friday 30th June Duty at Rest Centre Three raids l0 — 11.15
2 - 3.30 am
4 - 7.15 am

Friday 7th July Duty at Rest Centre Two raids l0 - 12
2 - 6. a,m
Friday 14th July Duty at Rest Centre No raids.

Friday 2lst July Duty at Rest Centre Two raids

Friday 28th July Duty at Rest Centre Three raids

Friday 4th August Duty at Rest Centre Three raids.

Friday 11th August Duty at Rest Centre Three raids.

Friday l8th August Duty at Rest Centre No raids.

Sunday 28th August — Duty at Town Hall from 7.30 am — 10.30 am — we were standing by during evacuation of children from Wembley. There was a lot of sadness with some mothers and children crying, but no-one knew where and when these new dangerous bombs would fall and we were under the flight path to the north

No more duty for me at the Rest Centre. The Red Cross wanted me to start duty at Wembley Hospital, every weekend.

I was feeling excited when I walked into the hospital one Sunday morning and enquired where I had to go. I was sent to the Matron’s office, and began to feel a wee bit nervous, as she explained my duties, but it was all that I had learned at the Red Cross — how to make a bed with a patient in it, and how to make a fresh bed — how to clean a wound and give a fresh bandage, how to give a bed-pan, and to smile which make patients feel better etc. etc. Most important, she said, always wash your hands with the disinfectant provided.

I enjoyed my time there, and made new friends laughing and talking in the cafeteria provided for the staff, and we always had a good supper, and so much to talk about. Everyone was a little scared of the matron, and everyone knew what and what not to do. Cleanliness was the most important. Always wash your hands after touching anything. We had cleaners who knew what was wanted and took pride in their own ward. Outside cleaner’s hours the junior Red Cross nurses were told to watch out for anything that had been dropped on the floor, and clean it with a disinfected sponge, and also the top of the bedside cupboard if something had been spilt. I didn’t find it strange to be so particular when I was in a hospital ward.

I was only working in hospital at weekends, but I arrived one weekend to find two wards empty — what happened I asked one of the nurses We’re expecting the arrival of wounded soldiers tomorrow. Could you come in to help? I was sure I could leave the office for one day, and so said “yes” It was certainly a busy day, and I came away admiring nurses more than ever.

It was sad to know that there were so many casualties, but good to hear of the speedy and good work being carried out everywhere, to end the war.

London became a very cosmopolitan City. I would go up to London with friends to see a film, or go to a show in one of the London theatres in the West End. When the German bombers came over in full force they concentrated on the City of London in the East End. They wanted to destroy the big banks, and the “business world”. Then we had our English weather as a respite - November would be foggy, December and January there would be heavy frosts and snow, also icy winds.

And so finally the war in Europe ended in 1945. Hitler committed suicide, followed by his henchmen, some with their wives and children. As with the 1st World War there was dancing and singing and jubilation of crowds of people in the streets of London, and all over the country. I was happy that the war was over at last, but somehow I did not feel like singing and dancing. So many service men had died, or lived with crippling injuries, and there were many still in Europe, releasing prisoners, and finding the horror of the holocaust (the mass murder of Jews in Nazi Germany) — rescuing those who were left, looking thin and gaunt. I couldn’t imagine how anyone could survive the suffering the Jewish people went through, but many did live to tell the tale to the world.

There is also a story to tell of the Japanese and their surrender following the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, a country town. It doesn’t bear thinking about, but the horror of it will live on for ever, and is recorded in the Archives I am sure. It was known that there would be few survivors, so Hiroshima was chosen. If it had been dropped on a City, the loss of life would have been unbearable to accept.

So much has been written about heroes and heroines, and their names will be in the Archives I am sure, but, if not, they will always be in the memory of those who were young at the time, like me, who knew from press reports what they were doing and admired them for their courage. Young women, for example, who were dropped into France by aeroplane to spy out the land taken over by the Germans, and report back by a machine using coding. Many were caught and tortured for information. I could never have done anything like that, and the bravery of some people is astounding.

I am now 84 and writing this in 2005. It is the 60th anniversary of the ending of the war.

December 2005 - there was a big celebration at the Cenotaph this year, remembering how the war was won sixty years ago. I felt so proud of all those marching by, mainly men and women in their 80’s who had been with many of the men and women of the Air Force, the Navy, the Army, and the Land Army, when they had been in their 20’s, remembering their friends who had died.

Winston Churchill is the man I will never forget, with all his well-known phrases to encourage us to stay strong. I will finish with one out of the many —

“WE ARE BEATING THE ENEMY. WE ARE NOT LETTING THEM LAND. WE ARE SHOOTING DOWN THEIR BOMBERS. KEEP IT UP AND THEY WILL GIVE UP”
--------------------END-------------------

© Copyright of content contributed to this Archive rests with the author. Find out how you can use this.