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In 1942 I was a Wren stationed at R.N.A.S. Sandbanks, Dorset and billeted in The Red House, a lovely property and was lucky enough to occupy the largest bedroom with 5 other girls. We had the luxury of an en suite bathroom, very rare in those days. The ceiling of the bedroom was decorated with a moon and stars, and we would shine our torches on it after “lights out” looking for imaginary aeroplanes.

I was on duty over the Christmas period and feeling very sorry for myself as it was the first time away from my parents and home. We had our Christmas lunch and a party of us who were off duty in the afternoon had been invited to an E.N.S.A. concert on Brownsea Island. It was a most beautiful day and we donned our best blues and did not need our greatcoats.

We were ferried to the Island in a motor boat, but as we approached the shore, we saw to our horror, a line of soldiers all obviously well fed, watered and full of “Dutch Courage” and clutching sprigs of mistletoe, waiting to greet us. “We’ll run for it”, we said and we did. Not very sporting of us but we were young and rather shy in those far off days.

We were given very good seats for the concert about which I remember very little except for the lady who sang “The lights of home”, a song made famous by Deanna Durbin. I sobbed noisily and uncontrollably all the way through. What a wimp!!!!

Years later my husband would take me on a nostalgic journey to find The Red House, but we never succeeded.

I could relate sad and tragic tales of the war years, as all those who lived through that dreadful period could, service men and women and civilians alike. But I prefer to remember the friendships of the girls I served with, who were from all walks of life; the “old salts” who at first resented us and then accepted us and were kind, the young ones who dated us and, sometimes, married us.

Please God there will never, ever, be such a world-wide conflict again.

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