Unsung heroines

During the war, I can remember a billeting officer calling at home to tell my mother that her spare bedroom would be allocated to two workers at the Standard factory. The two girls were sent from two different towns in Wales (as they did not have reserved occupations they had no choice of where or what they had to do). They soon became like part of the family.

It wasn't until much later that I realised what a tough time they had, sent to a strange town to live with strangers, working hard for long shifts and at the end of their shift having to walk home in the blackout. I can still recall the all-pervasive smell of machine oil they carried home from work. We had no bathroom, running hot water or fancy soaps to remove the smell!

Like Mrs Loach I feel the hard work of the girls' war efforts in our local factory should go on record, not only did they work hard but had personal problems and worries as well.

One of our 'guests' had a fiance in the army serving overseas, so we all worried when the censored letters arrivals were spasmodic.

After the war the factory closed and the girls returned home but we did not lose touch. I attended the wedding of one of the girls. She kept in touch with a Christmas letter and card to my mother until she died and we still exchange good wishes and family news at Christmas.

I feel this typifies the camaraderie during those dark days and the unsung heroines who worked in Malvern.

Mrs Mary Beattie, Meadway, Malvern Link.