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During the 1942/3 Battle of The Atlantic, I was a Wren in Western Approaches, Liverpool, employed in the Commander in Chief’s office (typing section). There were seven Wrens in our office and once a week we each had to do a 24 hour duty. This meant that when the other girls left at 6pm, the duty Wren was on her own.
On one such duty I was telephoned to go to the Chief of Staff’s office. When I arrived, Captain Lake (C.O.S.) told me we had just lost 34 ships in a Russian convoy. He was exceedingly sad and said he felt we’d lost the war.
He had written up a report on the engagement, which was to be typed (my job), and distributed.
He ended his report with the sentence “It’s Doenitz whose done it!�
On my way back to the office, feeling thoroughly dejected, I called in at the canteen and bought a packet of cigarettes and matches. I was 18. This was my first ever cigarette and eventually kicked the habit when in my 50s.
(Note: Admiral Doenitz was Commander in Chief of the German Navy and was fanbatical about the power of the U Boat).

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