91热爆

This story has been written onto the 91热爆 People's War site by CSV Storygatherer Coralie on behalf of Patricia Martin Hope. This story has been added to the site with her permission and Patricia fully understands the terms and conditions of the site.

Written in 2004/5, but remembering the 1940's!

When wartime Britain was invaded by the Americans, a new way of life erupted. Like many teenagers I loved dancing at our local 'palais', the Spa Ballroom in Torquay, Devon. Being small (under five foot!) many of our British servicemen were a little shy of such a tiny partner. Not so the Yanks! They liked me because I was easily thrown over their shoulders. Jiving was in!! This form of crazy mobility was confined to a small part of the ballroom so that the more sedate dancers were not in danger of being injured by flying feet! Only the most daring of us drank a shandy, usually it was a good old-fashioned lemonade! The American way of dancing really took off, and a group of my friends (boys and girls) regularly enjoyed our social life at the Spa. We were a jolly lot and although Torquay had by now got used to the 'tip and run' raids, we were aware that there was always the threat of a more serious air raid. In fact, I do remember one evening when, after the sirens had wailed, we were told to vacate the ballroom and go down to the lower rooms. (With the 'tip and run' raids the sirens sounded AFTER the bombs!) There was a lot of noise and we could feel the place shaking, but as soon as the 'all clear' sounded we were ready to get back to the dancing! Saturday was special, a big change from the Church Hall dance when we danced to the gramophone (record player), here the girls lined up one side of the room and the boys mostly R.A.F. the other, and only coffee available to quench our thirst. It cost more at the Spa, but the kindly 'bouncer' let us in for half price! I think he pocketed the cash, but we didn't think of that then! The music was 'live', I think it was Bob Roberts band early on, later we had the great Ted Heath with Dickie Valentine and Lita Rosa (not to be confused with Ted Heath the politician, my distant relative!!) Often we attended the 'tea dances', very sedate, lovely music, very little jiving allowed and a tea served at our tables. This usually consisted of a good pot of tea, sandwiches and one small cake (bear in mind that tea, butter, sugar and jam were rationed)! It was there that I met Bill Witten (early family name Wittenberg). He was stationed in Topsham Barracks in Exeter, and had driven his Major to the Imperial Hotel, Torquay, where his, (the Major's) girlfriend was staying. This gave Bill time to himself and so to the Spa he came. He was no great dancer, but I enjoyed chatting to him while taking a breather from his more energetic compatriots. One day about three weeks after I'd met him, he mentioned that a group of G.I's was organizing an entertainment at Topsham Barracks, and would I like to visit Exeter for this 'extravaganza'? Of course I would! It was arranged by my parents, their friends in Exeter, and Bill himself that I would stay overnight in the city and back home early next day. To travel by car was a treat as petrol was rationed, and few had petrol to spare for social outings. Some had the privilege of extra petrol coupons and because an employee of my father's was in the Observer Corps, he did have extra petrol in order to visit several sites in and around Torquay and Exeter, and so he was able to drive us to Exeter in the evening. My young brother John was to accompany me, I suppose as a kind of chaperone, but he had met Bill and had been invited too. What a spectacular entertainment! A full house with all the locals invited to enjoy what turned out to be just like the Hollywood musicals that we watched in the wartime cinema. There was colourful dancing, wonderful music, and Bill dressed up as a Mexican playing a guitar and singing 'Ragtime Cowboy Joe' and best of all 'El Rancho Grande'. I will always remember the show when I hear that tune on our local radio. Other G.I's enacted small playlets, many of them looking quite beautiful when acting as girls! Such a glossy entertainment could only be produced by the moguls of the Hollywood film world! Like all good things, the show had to end and what a finale, it was breathtaking, the whole cast (G.I's of course) singing, dancing and some were whirling lassos (quite an art). We didn't want it to end but then the curtain fell and it was over. John and I joined Bill and some of his friends for a meal (at midnight!) This too was a great delight, and as our food was rationed, it was an experience to partake of the luxuries provided by the American Army. We chatted for ages, some asking if we had noticed the mistakes and faults in their performances, but we hadn't. Time to leave and go to our friends for the night. It was almost two o'clock, for me this was very, very late (what would teenagers of today think of that?) Bill collected us into the jeep and we clambered aboard. I'd only seen this jolly little vehicle from afar, what a fabulous thing to be actually riding in one! I sat beside Bill; John was relegated to the back seat! It was a cold night, but starry, and I'll never forget the thrill of the speeding journey along almost empty roads in the early hours of the morning from Topsham Barracks to our friends at Middlemore. Oh yes! It was Police headquarters and our host was the Assistant Chief Constable of Devon!

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