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This story was submitted to the People’s War site by a volunteer from Swindon College on behalf of Gwen Ponting and has been added to the site with her permission. Gwen fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

I grew up in a little hamlet called Elcome, just outside Wroughton near Swindon. War broke out on September 3rd and I, at the age of 14 left school the following Christmas.

My first job was working at Nicholson’s Raincoat Factory, (near the Tobacco factory) making sections for Trench coats. I had to stitch canvas down the front of the trench coats. I eventually left this job to go and work at Shorts at Sevenhampton where they made Stirling bombers. I worked in the Office there. One day they were taking one of the bombers for a test flight, and as I knew the men quite well, I was allowed to go on the flight as well. I remember having to wear this large and cumbersome harness, just in case they would have to attach me to a parachute and push me out (if the flight went wrong)!! It was my first experience of flying, and although a bit nervous at first, I soon began to look down over my home area.

In those days one just couldn’t pick and choose jobs. If the Labour Exchange decided they wanted you to work somewhere, you had to go unless there was a medical reason. I was sent to work for Great Western Railway and then on to Marine Mountains. This last company used to make gun turrets for the ships. There were far more men than women working here. It was a very heavy job too but we all had to do our best. I didn’t enjoy this job either. The good thing about it was that I met my husband Arthur here. He joined the Navy during the war and served on HMS Fly and was involved in the invasion of Sicily and Salermo. I still have a picture of the ship as well as the three medals he was awarded. We eventually got married in 1950.

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