Shotts History Group

Helen is a member of Shotts History Group. This is a piece she produced for our 2002 exhibition.

Britain Goes To War -
Shatters Hitler’s Dream Of German Domination

W/177746 Sgt. Donnelly H.T.
(Helen Gavin)

5 Scottish Command Signals

Helen Gavin - May 1942 - April 1946

Home Guard
On 14th May 1940, Sir Anthony Eden who was them Secretary of State for War, broadcast an appeal for men aged 17 - 65 to join a new force of Local Defence Volunteers. The response was immediate, the first volunteers arrived at local police stations even before the broadcast finished. Within 24 hours 250,000 had volunteered, by July 1940 1 million and eventually a force of 2 million. In August 1940 at Winston Churchill’s request, the name HOME GUARD was officially adopted. They came from every walk of life - builders, electricians, miners, gardeners, bakers, butchers, lorry drivers, nurses, school teachers, shop keepers, shepherds, civil servants. Their role was to provide a "round the clock watch", defending aerodromes, factories, public utilities, manning road blocks, their own towns and villages. They were also a great help to the Civil Defence Services in the "blitzed cities".

Our Shotts Home Guard Battalion were based in the hall at Kirk Road, which was then known as the public hall. They were a very mixed but lively bunch with a real sense of camaraderie. Many a tale could be told about them, just one example of what they got up to. They had decided to make chips one night when they were on duty, one young man brought his mother’s chip pan, complete with the precious cooking fat, they all enjoyed the chips but poor Tristie Butler was left to carry a pan of liquid cooking fat back to Benhar Road in the early hours of the morning trying hard not to spill it - not an easy task.

Conscription of Women
By July 1941 there was a great shortage of manpower. In December 1941 the conscription of women was announced, unmarried women between the ages of 20 - 30 were to be called up. Some chose to go into war work jobs that were formerly the preserve of the men, were now done by women. This is well illustrated by a burly workman in the factory asking one day "Have you seen my mate, the one with the blond page boy hairstyle and the bright red finger nails?" Some women went into the forces - A.T.S., W.R.N.S., W.A.A.F.S., others into the Women’s Land Army and N.A.A.F.I.

May 1942
Along with two friends from Shotts I enlisted in the A.T.S. at Fulford Barracks, York.

June 1942
Trained at the Signals School, Bradford as a teleprinter operator. Now entitled to wear the badge of the Royal Corps of Signals.

Sept 1942
First posting - Kincardine-on-Forth

Feb 1943
Posted to South Highland District Head Quarters, Perth, Signals Office. Promoted to L/CPL

May 1944
Posted to Scottish Command H.Q., Edinburgh. Promoted to Corporal. Nerve wracking days. 6th June we invaded Normandy - D Day had arrived. How well I remember going on a course to Durham in the spring of 1945 for 4 weeks. The morning call at 6 am never varied - "6 o’clock and a lovely morning and one day nearer victory". Promoted to Sgt. On my birthday 11th April. I was still in Edinburgh when we celebrated V.E. Day A day of great rejoicing - church bells ringing, streets of Edinburgh thronged with people as we marched along Princes Street in the Victory Parade. The following day Winston Churchill visited us.

8th June 1945
Posted overseas - sailed from Liverpool to Port Said on the Britannic. This cruise through the Mediterranean was wonderful.

22nd June 1945
Arrived in Cairo. Stayed in Kasr-el-Nil barracks, which literally means Castle of the Nile, situation was superb, but unfortunately, everything that could crawl was there in abundance. In the beds, in the showers and in the food - especially the bread - one gets used to everything!! I worked in the Middle East H.Q. the men that worked there had not been home for five years, finally we took over and the men were allowed to go home on leave. V.J Day was announced on 8th August 1945, great celebrations by all the British troops. During my stay in Cairo I had the great privilege of visiting many interesting place, the Pyramids, Luxor, Asswan, Alexandria, Jerusalem and Bethlehem, I attend a carol service in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. I also visited Damascus, Beirut & El Alamein - visiting the cemetery there was a very moving experience.

My year in the Middle East was a very wonderful experience - now it was time to go home.

6th April 1946
I sailed from Port Said on the Almanzore, arrived Southampton

18th April 1946
Demobbed at York on 20th April 1946 where I had embarked on my army career 4 years previously.

What Did I Gain From This Experience?

1. A sense of purpose, we enjoyed our work.
2. Great friendship, we needed one another and helped one another.
3. A sense of discipline.

As I reflect on the war years, I never fail to recognise that whilst I had a very rewarding experience millions of people lost all that was dear to them.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Food Rationing

Food Rationing was introduced on 8th January 1940. The weekly allowance was as follows:

4 oz Bacon
2 oz Butter
2 Oz Cooking Fat
2 oz Margarine
4 oz Tea
2 oz Cheese

8 oz extra for miners, agricultural workers and other heavy duty workers who carried their food with them.

The meat ration was 1/10d per week and 11d for small children. Offal was excluded, but it was scarce. Fish was also excluded, but it was scarce. Fish was not rationed, but it was hard to find. On 1st December 1940 the Ministry of Food introduced a points rationing scheme. Each ration book holder received 20 points per month to spend as he wished on tinned meat, tinned fruit, breakfast cereal, biscuits, jam, marmalade and honey. It was at this time that we were introduced to American spiced ham - better known as "Spam". It soon became the great war time stand by.

In February 1942 soap was rationed - the allowance was 3 oz of toilet soap every 4 weeks. Hair shampoo was also very scarce. One trade secret was to make shampoo out of green soft soap, by adding water and bringing it to the boil. This made a thick liquid to which verbena essence was added. The perfume was delightful and the customers thought they were getting a very special shampoo.