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Originated At Kirkby-in-Ashfield Library, Nottinghamshire for Peoples War By Dave Drew on behalf of Mrs Iris Lewis (80) a member of the local branch of the Royal British Legion

Insight

Iris’s tale is typical of the women of her registration group. Her story does however throw light on just how divorced the producers could be from the direct combat impact of their work. Given the almost superhuman efforts called for from the workers, Iris’s managers had little time for compliments or keeping their staff abreast of the wider war. No doubt the serviceman in turn gave scant thought as to how the gun bomb or glider he was using even reached the front line, let alone how it came to be manufactured.

Iris left school the year war broke out and for 4 years worked in the Nottinghamshire hosiery trade. The ministry of labour then directed her to a large furniture factory in Netherfield. More than likely one of the several Stag Furniture factories then at work in the county. Netherfield was then on the outskirts of Nottingham but is now one of the cities western suburbs. Iris tried desperately to join the Land Army but her mother was adamant in refusing permission, citing heavy work and possible health hazards as her reason. As Iris says now,

‘In those days parental rule was absolute and there was no brooking the argument. I just had to accept her refusal and put up with what the ministry directed me to. And that was damned hard and uncomfortable work, much more injurious to health than anything the Land Army could have put me to. I was working on a boat shaped section of a glider

I can’t even recall if the part was for the fuselage or wings. The company manufactured furniture in peacetime and had been turned over to glider production by the Ministry of Supply. All I recall is the quite awful smell of the red sticky compound that we brushed endlessly over the fabric to stretch and harden the surface. The fumes could be quite nasty and caused vomiting if inhaled to deeply or for too long.

Eventually I was promoted to final assembly. I think the aircraft were Horsas and oddly I never gave a thought as to what they might be used for or indeed how they even left the factory. They certainly couldn’t be flown out as there was no airfield.

We were quite surprised to learn; long after the event, they’d gone in on D Day. Even now it seems odd to accept that my little bit of glider flew into battle�

ENDS

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