Guiding Memories | "The G.I.S. and Me" Page 11

"The G.I.S. and Me"

Page 11

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and tried to make him give it up because it was so dangerous. He wouldn't stop, so she gave in and joined him. He was only a school-boy.

On the 21:19 train to Hanover I was entertained by two nurses who were bound for Belsen; two for Kiel; and two Scouters. It was night-time with no lights, but we had a torch or two and were fairly comfortable, although some of the windows were boarded.

When dawn broke, all was devastation, and all along the line children were waving and hoping that food would be thrown from the train. It made one's heart ache. We had no food either, and were feeling quite hungry, but those children looked as though they were starving.

I was met by Ford Smith at Bad Oyenhausen, and was taken to Vlotho, the British Red Cross HQ. There we met Dr Ross and Betty Bindloss of the Hospital Team, who had just called in, and they gave us a lift - I was lucky. We had a glorious run to Brunswick. I have never seen such autumn tints.

The old town of Brunswick was in ruins. It must have been lovely before the blitz, which was we were told, all done in about 23 minutes. Strangely, we were told by the people that we talked to, and some 'British borns' married to Germans, that they almost rejoiced when it happened, for they knew that the awful blackmail under which they had been living for so long was nearly over.

The Nazis had left the town:- they must have known that it was going to happen

Arriving at the flats on the outskirts of town, I was introduced to the team. They gave me a very good welcome and the next day I got down to the job.

The great thing about the GIS was that we had so much support from back home, and the teams were given complete discretion on what they wanted to do. There was no waste of time if we wanted something, and if it was possible, it was sent.

I once took a small box of needles, cottons and pins to an UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency) meeting, and exchanged it for three lovely tables and twelve chairs for our nursery school. Needles were like gold, and these had been sent by a Guide Company, or Brownie Pack. The chairs and tables were made by DPs of wood from the German forests.

It was a fair swap.

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