91�ȱ�

I was living in Well Hall, Eltham with my Mother and Brothers when war broke out. We all lived together in the same house for quite a while during the war. It all began in 1939 — I was 18. We weren’t prepared for war at all.

I just worked in sweet shop, and from there I went into the lady’s house that owned the shop; she had a baby — a little girl, so I looked after the little girl.

I joined up from there; joined up in the Air Force (WAF). I was on the switchboard as a telephonist and I used to tell them when to put the balloons up [The Barrage Balloons]. We had to put the balloons up a lot, and take them down again when it was all-clear. I had to get on to all the different lines- A, B, C, D you know — A for apple, I used to plug into them, and then when they’d all finished I used to get through again and pull all the plugs out.

We had a lot of fun in the W.A.F as it has only just opened — we were the first girls there, so it was great fun. We used to say to the men in charge “Put me in charge and I’ll go and buy some cakes”. Then we’d have our coffee and cakes and take them up to the officers — it was great fun.

I heard later though that the part where we were- on the switchboard, had been bombed. Girls on there who I’d worked with were killed — that was sad.

This story was submitted to the People’s War site by Becky Barugh of the 91�ȱ� Radio Shropshire CSV Action Desk on behalf of Doris Saunders and has been added to the site with her permission. Mrs Saunders fully understands the site's terms and conditions.

See more of Doris's stories:

• They’d all just started, like me
• That’s how we crossed paths
• You heard the “swish” of the rocket just before it landed on the house
• All you could see was his eyes
• You’d see a queue and just jump on the end
• Climbing trees and fences
• We took notice that time!
• We had some fun with ‘em
• He’d gone all the way round
• It was lucky I’d already got married

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