After a while, we looked up, saw in the distance and heard the droning of a doodlebug. We both got up and ran, and suddenly I said, “I’ve left my book” so I ran back to reclaim it. As I was running back to her there was a bang. We skidded in the dust and looked at each other in fits of laughter. We were covered in dirt and dust, and landed in amongst a field of vegetables. We both said, “God must have been looking after us”.

I was in the army in the R.E.M.E. and worked in the ordinance factory Ashford, Kent. It was 1943 and all leave and letter writing was cancelled. Early one evening, some of the women and men decided to go to the N.A.F.F.I. for a break. Reg Varney who worked in my workshop in the office came in and went to the piano, put paper behind the wires and played honky tonk music. Some of us got wooden spoons and lids, made a group with him and the rest danced.

It was one of the best evenings we had spent in the army. Reg also went around to several other places for E.N.S.A. concerts.