War time was dismal with the blackouts, but people all helped each other out; there was a great feeling of friendliness.

There were lots of limitations to everyday life. You needed a special permit to go to the mainland.
My dad had a permit for fishing in a boat called ‘Snipe’. His licence was limited to the area from the pier to the Common and for a certain number of yards out.  Access to the pier was banned. You could go over to Sandhard, but weren’t allowed outside the breakwater.

I worked as a Red Cross nurse and was called up and served at Albany and Netley.

I was married to Thomas Cokes from Camp Road in Freshwater in 1941.  He was a sailor first of all on Q merchant ships, when he was shipwrecked in the bay of Biscay, then he was in the Royal Navy, including being on Malta during the siege.

Joan Cokes nee Cooper b1918

Aerial view Yarmouth 1940s