Description
Object description
British civilian worked as divisional secretary of New Forest South Division of British Red Cross in New Forest, GB, 1939-1944; worked for Headquarters, Junior Red Cross, British Red Cross in London, GB, 1944-1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in GB, 1921-1939: family; education. Recollections of period as divisional secretary for New Forest South Division of British Red Cross in GB, 1939-1944: anticipation of coming war; appointment as divisional secretary in New Forest, 8/1939; preparations for arrival of evacuee children from Portsmouth; arrival of evacuees, 9/1939; outbreak of Second World War, 3/9/1939; problems with head lice amongst evacuees; blackout and emergency rations; petrol rationing; preparations for war in New Forest; arrival of first troops; headquarters role of Palace House at Beaulieu; running first aid and home nursing courses; civilian morale; return of evacuees to Portsmouth; sight of aerial activity during Battle of Britain; reaction to fall of France and Dunkirk Evacuation, 1940; reasons for removal of signposts; threat of invasion; evacuation of her siblings to Canada.
REEL 2 Continues: bombs which fell in Beaulieu area; witnessing German Air Force raids on Southampton from Beaulieu; air raid shelters; helping out in canteen in Southampton; civilian morale; gas masks; fundraising for Red Cross; work as voluntary nurse at Lymington Hospital; role teaching children in area; socialising with troops stationed in area; presence of Special Operations Executive personnel training at Beaulieu.
REEL 3 Continues: Special Operations Executive agent who lost his arm in training accident; reaction to death of family and friends; socialising with Czechoslovakian air crews; raising money for armaments during War Weapons Week, 5/1941; collecting clothes. Recollections of period with Headquarters, Junior Red Cross, British Red Cross in London, GB, 1944-1945: move to London to work with branch; arranging evacuation children excluded from government evacuation scheme; degree of difficulty of finding billets for children; sleeping under bed during V1 Flying Bomb raids; volunteering assistance in air raid shelters in London Underground; story of accompanying pregnant woman to hospital during air raid; attending drunk American servicemen; German V1 Flying Bomb raids; transport.
REEL 4 Continues: threat of incendiary bombs; security during visit to New Forest , 6/1944; flight in light aircraft to view ships gathering for Operation Overlord on south coast, 6/1944; social life in London; accommodation; pay; rations; engagement, 1945; reaction to exhibition of photographs of concentration camps, 1945; VE Day celebrations in London, 8/5/1945; attitude towards Second World War.