Description
Object description
Czechoslovakian Jewish refugee in GB, 1938-1943; petty officer served with Women's Royal Naval Service attached to Y Service in GB, 1943-1945; officer served with Women's Royal Naval Service in GB and Germany, 1945-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as civilian in Austria and Czechoslovakia and refugee to GB, 1917-1943: family; changes in national boundaries after 1918; contracting tuberculosis; education; memories of Nazi annexing of Austria, 1938; move to GB, 5/1938; awareness of Nazi regime; fate of father during Holocaust; background to enlistment in Women's Royal Naval Service, 1943; treatment on arrival in GB; Austrian attitude to annexation by Nazi Germany; degree of anti- Semitism experienced in Austria.
REEL 2 Continues: interest in art and museums; family religious attitudes; reaction to Nazi take-over of Austria; memories of German Air Force bombing of London. Recollections of period as petty officer with Women's Royal Naval Service attached to Y Service in GB, 1943-1945: nature of duties with Y Service; basic training; training to listen to German transmissions; lack of discipline amongst German naval personnel; work with Y Service; discovery of German call sign indicating where mines would be dropped by E-boats; question of how her foreign accent affected promotion.
REEL 3 Continues: postings with Y Service. Aspects of period as Third Officer with Women's Royal Naval Service in GB and Germany, 1945-1946: commissioning and move to SHAEF, 1945; domestic arrangements in London; officer training at Royal Naval College Greenwich, 1945; uniform; role as interpreter attached to British Army of the Rhine in Germany, 1945- 1946; devastation in German cities; billeting arrangements in Hanover; treatment in Women's Royal Naval Service. Reflections on period with Women's Royal Naval Service in GB and Germany, 1943-1945: prior recollection of watch keeping duties at Trimmingham, Norfolk, 1943; encounter with Admiral; sporting activities; degree of contact with brother in Czechoslovakian Army; question of fraternisation with male colleagues; story of Wren who lost fiancé in submarine service.
REEL 4 Continues: lack of sexual education amongst Wrens; work with Y Service; amusing incident with cow during watch-keeping duties in tower; standard of German amongst Y Service Wrens; relations with civilians; recreational activities; impressions of Americans; conditions in Germany winter 1945-1946; question of treatment of Germany and behaviour of Germans; discovery of fate of family members during Holocaust.
REEL 5 Continues: demobilisation and return to civilian life 1946. Aspects of period as civilian in GB and South Africa from 1946: work as adverting industry; work in South Africa; return to GB; atmosphere in post war GB; details of work.
