About the contributor

Both my parents served in the forces during the war - Mum - Annie Hanna (nee Bittles) in the WAAF and Dad - Robert Joseph Hanna in "F" Battery Royal Horse Artillary.

I have a lovely photograph of their wedding day (both in uniform.

Unfortunately they didn't often talk about their experiences, probably preferring to leave it in the past. Consequently, we have few memories to pass on but we have some interesting photographs and post cards.

We know that Dad saw quite a bit of action. One thing I will always remember is that Mum would never go to a wake or funeral to see a body 'laid out' in the coffin. She felt she had seen enough dead bodies during her service, having been stationed as a Nursing Auxiliary on airfields with the harrowing task of helping to 'lay out' dead airmen killed during attack or before their planes got off the ground.

My father's brother Kitchener Hanna was in the North Irish Horse and his sister Ann Hanna was in the WAAF. Kitchener was severely wounded, losing an arm and an eye. He recovered to live to old age.

Louise Casey