Description
Object description
Childhood in Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire (1940s); move to Belfast where she witnessed early signs of The Troubles (1950s); service with Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) (1959 - 1963) as a pay-writer in HMS DRYAD, HMS EXCELLENT, HMS ARIEL and at the Portsdown Hill radar station; marriage (1963) and posting with husband to Malta; later career in social work; her son's service with British Army Royal Signals and the serious injuries he sustained during Falklands War (1982).
Content description
REEL 1: Born during wartime evacuation to Loughborough, Leicestershire (1942); early childhood memories; mother’s admission to St Bartholomew’s Hospital London for tuberculosis treatment; fostered to aunts; move to National Children’s Home, Lee-on-Solent; distant relationship with mother; question of identity of birth father; mother’s residency at Le Court convalescence home established by Grp Cpt Leonard Cheshire; mother’s relationship with Cheshire’s colleague Richard Rayner; difficulties of return to family life in post-war London; sibling relationships; attempt to trace birth father in later life; distant memories of wartime evacuation to Devon; childhood experience of fostering and children’s home; interrupted education; difficulties of personal relationships; Royal Navy support at children’s home; recent support for former children’s home resident during social work career; meeting Leonard Cheshire at Le Court on 7th birthday; impressions of Le Court Cheshire Home; family move to London; father’s employment with de Havilland Aircraft Company as design draughtsman; father’s family history; description of family home adjacent to Christchurch test aerodrome; witnessing of military exercises at Christchurch aerodrome.
REEL 2 continues: meeting Comet test pilots at family home; memories of aircraft accidents at Christchurch aerodrome; family move to Belfast, father’s employment at Harland and Wolff; mother’s reaction to sectarianism; description of family home in Belfast; employment regulations in Northern Ireland; witnessing Apprentice Boys marching; discussion surrounding political and cultural segregation during the period; lack of deprivation during austerity era; awareness of deprivation amongst local population; motivation for joining Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) in 1959; application process, nature of role as pay-writer; knowledge of false accounting by Royal Navy officers; training at HMS Dauntless and at Chatham Barracks; description of barracks; method of Royal Navy pay administration; issue of uniform; drafting to HMS Ariel at Worthy Down; legacy of National Service; move to HMS Dryad, Portsmouth; work at Portsdown Hill radar station; move to HMS Excellent; status of women in Royal Navy during the period; pride in wearing WRNS uniform; romantic relationships; security measures concerning wearing uniform in public after start of Northern Ireland Troubles; description of WRNS uniform.
REEL 3 continues: family move to Isle of Wight; meeting Brian Davies RN, future husband; falling pregnant; fiancé drafted to HMS Belfast at Whale Island, Portsmouth; his role as lead regulator; memories of visiting the Royal Yacht; wedding at Portsmouth Registry Office; dismissal from service due to pregnancy; birth of first child, 8/1963, on Isle of Wight; joining husband on base in Malta; life in married quarters in Malta; culture amongst navy wives; birth of second child, 1965; difficulties of rural life in Isle of Wight; learning Russian language; memories of Independence Day in Malta, 21/9/1964, reference to official programme document; inaccuracy of British press reports surrounding Maltese independence; observations of poverty amongst local population; lack of hostility towards British military personnel; husband’s drafting to HMS Eastbourne; children’s christening ceremony on board ship; husband’s hearing loss due to navy gunnery role; move to married quarters in Chatham, birth of third child in Royal Navy hospital; difficulties of marital breakdown; birth of fourth and fifth children; physical abuse by husband; divorce; motivation to pursue higher education.
REEL 4 continues: reflections on and explanation of two-year break in interview recording due to Covid-19 pandemic; reason for move from Dartford, Kent to Northumberland; reiteration of marital breakdown, motivation for entry into higher education, application to study full-time in Plymouth; effects on family of Falklands War; son’s (Mark) entry to British Army age 16, his signals training in Harrogate; memories of passing out parade (2/1982); Mark’s motivation to join combat; SD’s philosophy of pacifism; reflections on close relationship with son, incident of son’s sickness whilst living in Malta; further examples of premonitions of risks to son; fears over son’s wellbeing during Falklands War; premonition that son had been injured; description of Sidewinder missile accident at Stanley airfield (14/7/1982) in which son was critically injured while clearing runway of snow; life-saving battle-field first-aid; receiving news of son’s accident through visit by a Royal Marines officer; receiving letter from Mark’s commanding officer; reflections on effects of IRA bomb attacks on Regents Park and Hyde Park (20/7/1982); receiving news that son was to be medically repatriated to RAF Wroughton, Wiltshire; explanation of son’s posting to Falklands via Ascension; question of pacifist philosophy, military enrolment age; lack of anticipation of combat role; motivation for joining WRNS.
REEL 5 continues: detailed memories of period following son’s critical injury; sending encouraging telegram prior to son’s repatriation; family accommodation at military hospital; visiting hospital mixed-services ward; condition of son while in hospital, value of ‘gallows humour’; visiting son in Queen Elizabeth military hospital Woolwich, reference to Simon Weston (Welsh Guards); son’s emotional reaction to injury and reunion with family; feelings of anger towards Army; reflections on accident later in life; limited support of Army, lack of information about accident, confidential nature of weapons system involved; reaction to homecoming of Task Force while living in Plymouth; no knowledge of inquiry into accident; meeting South Atlantic RAF veteran many years later who had witnessed son’s accident; acceptance of consequences of accident; reflection on breakdown of relationships as result of military injuries; son’s decision to leave Army service after rehabilitation, his return to Isle of Wight; description of son’s injury, prosthetic aid; lack of financial compensation for injury; receiving financial support of South Atlantic Fund; marital, domestic, employment, and financial situation of son following Army service; prospects of son’s visit to meet witness to accident; question of mother’s reaction to disfigurement of own child; adjustment to life-changing injury; visit to local BBC Television station to view film of rehabilitation of injured military personnel; continuing medical procedures and monitoring of injury; lack of sense of blame, acceptance that the injury was accidental; effects on university study, awarding of degree, employment prospects on graduation; employment in social work; motivation for career progression; early retirement; start of voluntary work.
REEL 6 continues: detailed explanation of family history, tracing birth family to Canada; internet research into father’s identity; contact with relative in Australia; discovery of inaccurate entry in registry of birth; use of mother’s family name and adoption home records in discovering father’s true identity; legacy of mother’s tuberculosis; history of birth father, his service in Canadian army during SWW; reaction to discovering family history; use of ‘GI Trace’ internet research tool; travelling to Canada to meet birth family, effect on self-identity and image; motivation to undertake voluntary role at War Memorials Documentation project at Imperial War Museum, London; volunteering as Ambassador at London Olympics (2012); emphasis that ex-husband served on board HMS Belfast while it was in dry dock; reflections on military themes throughout life; influence of institutionalised life on character.
