Civil Defence

I worked as a writer in Civil defence HQ, known as Group 8 HQ. All messages received by phone from ARP posts in area were dictated to the writers who then wrote them out by hand -3 carbon copies- to enable ambulances , demolition vehicles etc to be sent to appropriate sites as needed. We liaised with bomb disposal units of RE's and with Observer corps to guage where enemy aircraft might be coming from or going to . We were paid 2 guineas per week plus food allowance of 1/6d per day to spend in Lyon's teashop. there was one in Bromley High St. at that time and we girls could live comfortably on that amount, as I remember a Tinned Salmon Salad cost 10d.

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