War and the forces

IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND DANCE NIGHT

IN A RAILWAY CARRIAGE

In the last stages of the war, the flying bombs came over from Germany, so my sister and I went to Reading to stay with a cousin every weekend, just for a rest. We would catch a train at Paddington. Every railway carriage was crowded with soldiers, mostly Americans. On one occasion there was a flying bomb which seemed to be following the train. The fear on the faces of the soldiers was terrible to see, but my sister and I tried to cheer them up. "You're all right as long as you can hear them," we said.

The flying bomb passed and the atmosphere changed. There were smiles all round. My sister and I were offered cigarettes and chocolates and we sat and listened to the stories of the lives of some of the soldiers until we reached our destination. As we left the carriage we wished them good luck and a safe return to their homes.

DANCE NIGHT

The Royal Opera House, Convent Garden, was turned into a dance hall during the war and I attended many dances. The hall was crowded with soldiers, mostly Americans.

They brought their new dance with them, Rock'n'Roll, and there began the end of the intimacy of real ballroom dancing. No soft lights and sweet music, just one big noise.

But these soldiers needed to let their hair down somehow and all of us English girls joined in the fun, dancing the night away.

The war was grim and dancing the night away helped us to forget the war for a little while.

by Esther House

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