August 29th 1941 I enlisted in the A.T.S.at Portsmouth. I didn’t want to wait to be called up, I wanted to have some say in what I did. No, I didn’t ask my parents’ permission! They wouldn’t have stopped me.
I was away for 4 years, as Predictor on Ack Ack Anti Aircraft guns, and ended my Army Service on September 17th 1945.
Eileen Smith in ATS uniform
I really enjoyed my time in the ATS, made some good friends, saw good times and bad – but not so many bad times as Ralph. I hope none of the children has to go to war.
Eileen Smith
Eileen’s service took her to Chester, London’s Dockland, Hyde Park, Hastings and coastal defences against ‘Doodlebugs’, Belgium with British Liberation Army, dealing with V2 rockets and eventually to Taunton to be demobbed.