This book is a tribute to my remarkable mother, and also to all those women in the Second World War who, in many ways, took a greater risk than the men in leaving the sanctuary of their homes and country in order to serve.
When I found Sheila’s letters bundled up in black bin liners after her death in 2009, I decided to fulfill her final wish, which was to write her memoirs. She had often told me that she was immensely proud of her war years: she had even begun to sort the letters herself, using recycled envelopes. However, our daughter’s sudden death in 2011 put a temporary stop to the project. Louise and her Granny had always enjoyed a close relationship and so it became the clichéd labour of love to complete this book in honour of both of them.
I thank them for inspiring me: writing the book was the perfect antidote to the grieving caused by this double bereavement.
Thanks also to my friends and family – especially my husband, Ross, and our son, Tommy, who have supported me during the painstaking process of pulling the book together. And special thanks to Charlotte Blundy who transcribed the letters, cleverly deciphering my mother’s difficult handwriting, and to Joanna Frank who gave me some excellent advice on an early draft.
Finally, thank you to Felicity Kendal for agreeing to write the foreword: I feel we share a bond via our two sets of eccentric parents. Felicity – your empathy through these difficult times has been a great solace.