BACK
 They were only four or five years older than Jean. Their parents would have been horrified if they had known. Poor tired munition workers, talk about work hard and play hard! Its true, we were, April 1944 belting along in full production. The relaxation, extreme as it was, must have eased the strain and tension. The 'powers that be' must have thought so, precious petrol and money was allocated for the purpose. A song from the 1914-18 war was "There's a fine chance for the old man when the young man went away". It was inevitable that in a situation like ours, where hundreds of older men and younger women were directed to work and live in close proximity, that there would be liasions between the sexes. Some were free to do as they pleased, and lasting two-somes that endured and ended with wedding bells were formed. Young Sister Williams from the works surgery met another Williams, an unfit discharged soldier. Wal Ensor and his girlfriend who both worked in the Testing shop to name a few.

 There were others less holy and some of the boys (hardly boys) had their fun and left the girls to suffer for it. Casualties of the war. Welfare did its best for them, yes, they even tried to prevent situations developing. Miss Wilshaw, about 30 years of age, Girls Welfare Officer, was nicknamed 'Deadly Nightshade' by the girls. Unfairly so, because she tried her utmost for them. After talks whith her I tried to break up a partnership in my Department between a young Scottish girl and one of the Polishers from Birmingham who I know was married. His Brother worked for me too. Albert had escaped from Dunkirk and had been sent back (as did many other skilled men) to industry. He told me he had tried to talk Cyril out of it without success. Putting Cyril on nights and the girl on days didn't do any good. If folk are determined they will find a way. The end was she was sent home in the 'family way'. There were many such cases, some of them very sad and more than a little dispicable.

 A 45 year old Charge Hand lodged with one of his men who lived locally. Trust in him was misplaced he got his landlord's 16 year old daughter in trouble. It is a wonder he didn't go to prison. He was away from work for some weeks and I had to manage his department in his absence. A very unpopular man. A very unhappy department. There was no doubt in my mind that the chaps were sincere when they said they wished I could take over the department permanently. It got to be a regular thing, whenever a Charge Hand or Foreman in one of the Process Departments was absent, I had to run his department with my own. Three together on one occasion.

 Another case was a 55 year old Foreman Inspector who put one of his 18 years old girls in child. There were others who paid up and didn't hit the headlines. It was all so easy. There was the "Brummie" who took his girlfriend home for the week-end when his wife was supposed to be away. She turned up when they were having a cosy twosome. I bet he had a job to straighten that one out. One or two girls were not all they could have been. What a bonanza of a time they had. The Scotch girls were good girls. They stuck together. Go out with the boys they did, but they knew when it was time to say good-night. Alice Bostick always went out with a married brummie on Friday nights. Wallop night it was called. She had a regular plan. The coach bringing them back to the hostel arrived about 10.30pm. The Friday dance finished at 11 o'clock. Alice would say to the boy friend "I've promised the last waltz to Mr. Fowler" (she always callled me that) and off we would go. Alice could dance drunk or sober, it had to be automatic the state she was in. Conversation always followed the same pattern. "Mr. Fowler I've had too much to drink, hope you don't mind" How could I, she was so polite. Come 11 o' clock the Scotch girls would call each other. Ellen, Janet Alice, Theresa, and off they would troop leaving the boys cold, and hungry. I could add to that. Great girls, good workers too. Maybe Alice wasn't as drunk as she made out to be.

 The 'Panto' I mentioned earlier was a great success. Rehearsal went on for months. The Hostel Welfare Officer was commedian (The Yanks thought he was marvellous), Lead performer and Producer all in one. How he got them into shape was a feat deserving of a medal. He was a B.F.Medalist awarded for rescuing a trapped and injured person during the raids on Birmingham. " I was the only one small enough to get to him" was no doubt true - him being no more than 5ft 3ins, and slim at that, but was I am certain, an understatement of the facts. Even the scene shifters were new to the job. In one scene the back screen collapsed. His spontaneous "We've brought the house down" got a great ovation from the Yanks. The Chorus beauties were girls from the Machine Shop. We certainly saw them in a different light after this. How they were persuaded to appear so scantily clad must be a story in itself, but they did and they looked good too.

 These were the organised entertainments. What did we do for ourselves? On the evenings I left the works at 6. 30pm which meant I would leave written instructions for my night shift. Straight to the chalet, rest on the bed for half an hour, after taking off shoes and socks - this helped to comfort tunnel feet caused by lack of air flow at ground level. TunneIs built later had air gratings in the floor. The feet would be waxey white. When bared, the colour would soon return with air and massage. Then to the Dining Hall. Soup, followed by Meat and Veg with a sweet or Bread and Cheese, Tea, sit and chat for a few minutes, then to the Games Room. Join in at the Table-tennis or Billiards. We knew everybody so were never without a partner. Darts, Shove half-penny, Table Skittles, something to suit all tastes, At 9.30pm the large gramaphone would start up for dancing. No problem for partners there either. A Cafe was staffed until 11 o' clock when, except for special nights the service block, was closed. Hostel Staff shared all the amenities with the residents, as did everyone that stayed there. ENSA, CEMA, Show folk, Visitors, a team of Surveyors for a while, all sorts of folk, even that German Professor, Some evenings the First Aiders would meet for practice.

 For a time I helped Doug Winters a First Aider who was a captain in the Boys Brigade in Birmingham, by taking a class of boys in a nearby small town whose Captain had been called into the forces. More and more it became necessary for me to stay to see my night shift which started at 7.30pm. It would be 8 o'clock finish then. I used the time between shifts to write out the days report. Some of the Foremen and Charge Hands had a racket on. From 6.30 to 7.30 they would be at the Bar or Billiards. Eventually the works Police did a spot check, took names and that was the end of that.

CONTINUED