by Vicky Unwin
Lots of love
Sheila.
But it’s not all good news; just as Sheila was beginning to settle down, Miss Overy drops a bombshell and says that Joy is being transferred to Deptford as a telephonist, the reason being that:
… as a messenger she’s too much in the public eye and officers notice her and stare at her. Joy was furious, especially when Miss Overy said that she’d watched her and found her manners perfect and that she could find no fault at all with Joy. ‘But’ she said ‘you must be hidden. You can’t help being attractive – it’s not your fault so we’re transferring you as a telephonist to Devonport’. Have you ever heard of anything so horrid? We think that the Wrens Officers are jealous of anyone good looking being about the place and have kicked up a fuss. Joy’s so upset, especially as she’s tried so hard, and been through an awful lot – steward’s work is terribly wearing, especially if you haven’t been used to such things.
Luckily Sheila has Jaap and her new ‘posh’ friend, Elizabeth Clayhill.
At the same time, the downsides of communal living become apparent: things start to disappear; in addition to Sheila’s stockings, Joy lost some ‘camminicks and 2/6. Also, soap flakes disappear like magic. We are all very annoyed.’ This gave rise to a reprimand from Sheila’s mother.
It is hard to believe that her mother was complaining about Sheila never writing, as Sheila wrote every other day; it’s a shame that Sheila never kept her mother’s letters, despite the exhortation to ‘keep my letters you’ll get a complete picture of life in the Wrens. They’re much better than my diary, as I’m generally too tired to write much.’ They would have revealed much about their spiky relationship, which Sheila’s letters skate over unless, as on this occasion, she is pushed too far:
Naval Quarters,
133 Ferry Road,
Carolina Port,
Dundee
10.12.40
My dear Mummy,
I was pleased to get your letter last night, but really I think you are very hard on me. The last twice you’ve written it’s been nothing but complaints about me – how careless I am with my things and that I never write. I’m only able to write now because Miss Overy is away today. I start work at 9 in the morning, and have lunch at 12. Unless I get out during my lunch hour I never get any fresh air at all, so I can’t write then. I work from 1.20 till 5.30 or 6, and we have supper at 6.30, which finishes at about 6.45 if we’re lucky. Then I can write letters, but not every night – so you see my time’s very much taken up, tho’ I always manage to write at weekends don’t I? As for being careless with my clothes, I’m very careful indeed and try and mark everything. But I can’t vouch for other people’s dishonesty can I?
And to her father, rather more measured, as she knows he will sympathise with her for getting a ticking off:
I’ve just had Mummy’s letter of admonition – but it’s quite uncalled for, you know! Naturally I’m very careful about all my clothes and keep all precious things away in my suitcase, but where there’s a will, there’s a way, and anyone can break into a case. Walton, one of the girls in my room, was quite indignant at the insinuation that I was careless and threatened to write to Mummy telling her how careful I am! Nothing else has gone – so far!
There were other drawbacks to life in a dormitory, but luckily Sheila maintains a sense of humour on this one:
Mayfield
14.11.40
My dear Mummy and Daddy –
…Well today has been ‘a day!’ To begin with, 2 girls found visitors in their hair, and so we all had to be inspected by the Surg. Lieutenant. Joy and I were ok – apparently I’m not the type that has ‘nits’ or my hair isn’t, so the Dr. said. But 5 girls have to be disinfected – one, the ‘bearer’ is my next door neighbour at table, and a dirty looking girl, so I’m not surprised. She is the originator – does this make you tickle? I itch all over even tho’ I haven’t any!
Then I had to take a girl down to be medically examined – quite a stranger, not one of us, and she had them too, so it was a horrid tickley day. Miss Overy and I have been sitting scratching ever since. Still – it’s nice to know the bugs don’t like you isn’t it?
Lots of love
Sheila.
Even after a few months there are early signs that Sheila is headed for promotion. First of all, over Christmas, she has to ‘hold the fort’ at the Wren office when Miss Overy takes ten days’ leave, something she is justifiably nervous about. As it is Christmas there are several parties to organise and she is:
Frantically busy … I do hope nothing drastic happens in her absence. Today I’ve been coping with hospitality for Wrens and believe me it’s a very difficult task. Phone call after phone call keeps coming through, letter after letter and I’ve been nearly upside down! There’s a supper concert and dance on Tuesday – also on Thursday. We’ve been invited to a lunch on Boxing Day and we are having a party ourselves on Xmas Day, with a tree and presents. The WVS have given presents for every Wren here; isn’t it wonderful? Then we are having a concert on New Years Day and one dance on the 24th. I wish I didn’t have to cope so much – it wears me out, what with leave, tickets, ration cards etc. Dreadful!
As a result of her efficiency she is voted on as Secretary to the Wrens Club committee, which was formed just before Christmas. She says she won’t have time ‘what with typing out minutes and what not’, but somehow she is appointed. They are to organise a ‘swish’ dance in the New Year, and a concert, at which she is to sing with another girl - ‘Heaven help the Wrens! I only hope I don’t get stage fright and fade out.’ There is a bit of a to-do over the dance, as she wants the tickets to be 5s ‘to make it a bit more select’ – but it’s ‘no good’ and she loses out to 3s 6d. They also arrange talks from the naval commanders on station.
❖❖❖
Christmas 1940 was the first of many war Christmases spent with fellow Wrens, and it was a jolly affair. Sheila tells how she and the captain’s secretary opened one of the WVS’s gifts to see what was inside – ‘soap and sweets’ – and how ‘furious’ he was as they ‘smelt [sic] out his office’:
Mayfield
25.12.40
My dear Ma and Pa
Thank you very much for your wire and also for the parcel of things that arrived today. I hope you had a very good Xmas – as good as I have had. I rose at 7.30 and went to church, then came back for breakfast and then went to church again. After that, work not very much but just enough to keep me busy. Then the phone went asking Miss Mills to go to the Capt’s secretary’s office immediately. I dashed down in trepidation to be seized by Steve and heartily embraced under the mistletoe – there were 3 Sub-Lieuts. They’re all very amused. Pat and Marjory had done the same too and then another Sub-Lieut Simmons, who thought I was a chorus girl (!) dragged me there too – oh it was funny! Then I slid down the bannisters to celebrate and got stuck, we did laugh.
We’ve had a marvellous party today. Much too much to eat and I’m going out to my 2nd Xmas dinner tonight with Pat Whittons. Now must away there! Everyone got 2 presents off the tree, very good I thought.
Going out tomorrow, Friday and Saturday to various troop dances - HOPE to go to Ambrose dance on N.Y. Eve.
Tons of love
Sheila
Harry sent me 2 pairs of lovely silk stockings
After Christmas Sheila is allowed a weekend off: Elizabeth has arranged for her and another girl to go and stay with a Scottish Minister and his wife at Arbroath, where they have breakfast in bed – ‘a great luxury’.
On New Year’s Eve she is looking forward to going to HMS Ambrose (where she works, along with HMS Unicorn) big dance with a party of naval people; Jaap is coming back from leave, and there is rumour of an ‘important visit and I imagine it is the King and Queen, but of course no one will tell you anything. Must remember to give my shoes a polish and yank my hair up. What fun; hope they come round Ambrose, if it is them!’
Most of all she is looking forward to her
leave, and the possibility of meeting up with Paul, even though she is seeing Jaap – ‘Don’t know about leave yet but may land myself in soup as Jaap may have leave in Jan and want to come and Paul may be here too! Would you mind a cosmopolitan household? But the navy’s very unreliable so you never know – just warning you tho!’
Paul who, despite intermittent correspondence as he is on a ship, seems to be a bit of a hero: ‘Apparently, his ship was one that stopped a non-British merchant vessel taking goods to Germany at the beginning of November, and Paul was the second of the two officers who went on board. I’m dying to hear all about it.’
She is still champing at the bit to get a commission, but at least she seems more settled, and manages to get an end-of-year dig in at her sister: ‘I had a letter from Rosemary today. I think she ought to join up, don’t you? It would be dreadful to be called up.’ Despite the ups and downs of the first three months in the Wrens, she has the satisfaction of being able to look down on her older sister from the moral high ground.
Note
1 Wrens, as part of the Royal Navy, either worked on real ships, like HMS Unicorn, an old ship in Dundee dockyard, or in offices named after ships, like HMS Ambrose, which was in fact situated in an old orphanage.
1941
‘It would be marvellous to feel one was doing something’
1941 was to be a bad year for the British army. The war in the desert hotted up with the arrival of Rommel and the Afrika Korps, followed by the invasions and subsequent losses of Greece and Crete, and the surrender of Yugoslavia. By August, Russia had joined the war and, by December, so had the US, following the bombing of Pearl Harbour.
It must have been frustrating for Sheila to be part of the war machine but to feel so helpless. She has not even received her uniform yet! She is unhappy about the lack of any clear pathway to a commission – aside from attaining the age of 21 – a theme that recurs constantly through the coming year.
Dundee, where she moved in October, is pleasant enough, and she has her Dutchman for company, plus boyfriend Paul, who is on convoy duty aboard HMS Sheffield. Nevertheless she is hankering for adventure and begins to show leadership qualities that will stand her in good stead when the time comes for promotions.
Letters – and sometimes the lack of them – continue to be central to her life.
The new year starts well with the New Year’s Eve party (it seems Jaap didn’t make it in time) and home leave to look forward to, despite a spat with sister Rosemary. This must have been after she wrote the friendly New Year’s Day letter, although Rosemary’s Christmas present is dammed with faint praise:
Mayfield
1.1.41
My dear R.
Many many thanks for the lovely sweater and also for the stockings which shouldn’t excite the roving eye of the Navy too much. So sorry not to have written before; believe me I’ve been up to my eyes in work.
Thank you also for your note – I had EIGHT letters that day! One of them was from Walter Frisler, a nice Canadian Capt. we met at the O.S. who wrote to me. Remember, a tan face and good looking. Also one from Elizabeth Clayhill’s uncle, signed ‘Charles’. He’s 74! Most improper.
Well – so glad you had a great Xmas. I ate much too much, in fact had about 5 Xmas dinners to be exact! I got up at 8 and went to Kirk and then again at 9.20. Then I went to work, only to be caught under the mistletoe by 2 Sub-Lieuts! Most annoying. Then a huge dinner; then a huge party, Xmas tree and presents given by the Capt and wife, then tea, then dancing reels etc. and then out to supper! I staggered home.
Meanwhile we had to arrange various invitations for the Wrens, one, sometimes 2 every day. I went to one dance and won a spot prize with the Chief Writer based at the Base.
I went to Arbroath for the weekend and stayed in a house. They were so kind. C of S [Church of Scotland] and we had breakfast in bed and a grand time. That night Ambrose gave a N. Year’s Ball (officers only) and I went in a party with Steer and 5 or 6 other officers. It was fun, we drank the N Year in with rum punch. Lovely. I wore my black and I let it out and put stiff lace (Woolworths!) round the top and everyone admired it! Steer was rather a stick, but we had a grand time. One of the Sub-Lieuts got very tight. Most amusing.
Woke up this am to find snow on the ground, very hard and crackly. Simply lovely. I’ve been working all day. We had a 5 min siren at 1.30 but nothing happened.
Jaap came back at lunch time and has asked me out to dinner tomorrow night. He gave me an adorable etching of 3 Scotties (original) + it stands on my dressing table. Chapman has been most curious.
Am furious, why am I not just a little older. Miss Overy is sending up names for commissions and said if I had been old enough she would have sent mine. Nine b-y months to wait! My work is terribly responsible in a way. Wish they’d give me Wrens buttons of a sort. I’ve got to M.C. a Whist Drive tonight as everyone is going to be out. I don’t believe anyone will be there much tho’.
All the shops are shut today and tomorrow. Pay day on Friday, thank heavens. The uniform has arrived so shall appear in it when on leave, but haven’t got it yet. Don’t know when I’m coming, haven’t heard a word from Paul, but Miss O. says I can have it when I like under the circs, which is good, I think.
Am expecting to be told to have my hair cut soon. It really does (ahem) look awfully nice now – long page boy sometimes tied in a bow, but I don’t think Penman will have much mercy on it!
We have to be inspected before we’re allowed to appear in the street.
… Please, if you will, send this letter on to Mama, as I’ve been so busy lately and haven’t had much time to write.
Really must away to this whist drive.
Heaps of love
Sheila,
Hope you are safe and OK.
Mayfield
3.1.41
My Dear Mummy,
… No time for a proper letter as I only have 10 mins. About this leave. R. says she is coming from the 9th to the 18th but I had such a rude postcard from her yesterday I don’t feel at all inclined to come whilst she is there at all! Miss Overy says I can go whenever I like now. I could come from the 9th or part of the following week, but then I should miss Paul, whom I haven’t heard from since. In fact I’m wondering whether it is worth while waiting as the Navy is so unsure, but in a way it seems a pity to miss him after so long. I went out with Jaap last night, who is going on leave on Friday (today I think) and seemed disappointed because I wasn’t going on leave, for it’s a shame. I don’t think he has anywhere to go and is so nice. I’ll probably ring up on Sunday night when you will have got this and we can have a discussion. The mails are very bad as regards ships, but I rather feel that Paul may soon be here as I haven’t heard for about 3 weeks. We shall see …
Heaps of love
Sheila
Had 8 letters on Monday!
The next letter is dated 22 January, so we assume she went on leave as planned around 9 January; history doesn’t relate the whereabouts of sister Rosemary. On her return she is rushed into preparations for the Wrens’ Club dance, which she is organising – ‘tons to do’ – and to the welcome arrival of her uniform, although her hair is problematic:
I’ve really got quite a nice hat – smallish but my raincoat nearly touches the ground – shows up the shortness of my costume skirt. We measured it last night – it’s 18” – so I expect someone will have something to say about it! I spent ages putting on my collar and tie and ruined one collar, and expect I’ll have to be inspected tonight ready for wear tomorrow. The Chief Officer Rosyth is inspecting us on Friday when she comes to the dance – so it’s just as well I’ve got my uniform … Heaven knows what I’m going to do with my hair. It seems to be getting longer and longer and I look terrible in a hat with it tied back –
… everyone seems to think I look quite nice – except for the hat! The shoes are terribly uncomfortable, but are beginning to look a little better now. By the way, I’d love another shirt size 14 or 14 1/2 (my li
nen ones are 14 1/2 but I thought perhaps 14 man’s size would be big enough) as you said you’d like to get me one? They have only given me three, and I really need four I think. Anyway, I’d be absolutely pleased with one. My collars are too big, I think, but am told they shrink.
26.1
… I’ve not had my hair cut – it’s in a net and looking quite tidy. I will not have it cut and have been OK so far, but got told quite a thick pair of silk stockings were too thin! I was very annoyed.
This is tempered by the unwelcome news that Jaap is off on patrol again and her one remaining friend, Chapman – who never seems to have a first name, perhaps because she was the Chief Petty Officer – is being commissioned shortly ‘so there won’t be anyone for me to talk to at all’.
However the dance was a ‘great success’ and she thanks her mother for sending her the ‘frock, which everyone admired. I really must send a parcel of civvies home soon, I’ve got many too many clothes’:
Mayfield Hostel
26.1.41
My dear Mummy –
… Several of us went there early to see that things were OK – there were tons of people there – really too crowded – and many too many Wrens of course. I met several Polish officers who were quite nice, but as soon as I was getting on nicely Miss Overy came to ask me to do things which was annoying. My mainstay, however, was Lt-Com Cowell, the senior engineer, whom I’d met at the Pilchers. He rescued me and was most amusing. About half my size incidentally! In the end I arranged for him and Osborne (Guns; a darling old 62 year old fellow) to come home in our bus to Mayfield and they made the whole show. Actually I’ve just had the most terrific row with one of the Wrens who said it kept the ratings off the bus to have them but I arranged it all and they paid for their tickets so I just let fly at her. She’s been honey ever since. One of the Wrens got so tight she had to be taken home, and another violently sick! Mrs Boyd, Chief Officer at Rosyth, was there. I’d met her before and had to take her from Orphanage to Mayfield which was a good opportunity to talk to her. They are wanting cypher officers urgently and I hoped if I made a good impression they might take me on before I’m 21 but I don’t know. Miss Overy said the other day she hoped for my sake the war would carry on a bit longer so that I could go to OTC Greenwich!
