Hi
I bet you thought I would never send this, I apologise for the delay but better late.....
I have a group photo taken outside Overcliffe Hotel but if I make the file small enough to attach here you can't see anything, from the name I assume this must be in Bournemouth, this was among my Aunt Ivy's papers so she must be in there somewhere.
My Mum, Gladys, was one of the first people in the area (Woolwich, London/Kent) to sign up to the ATS and was formally enlisted at Footscray on 23rd November 1939 as a Clerk (Shorthand Typist), she served until 15th Feb 1946. Among the list of leave granted is 5-11 September 1941 Privilege Leave; this was so she could go home for her wedding on 7th September - my Father was also allowed the same 7 days leave. She was stationed in both Brighton and Bournemouth, I think she was in Brighton in 1841 - I have found the same Brighton phone number in both her and my Aunt's photos
My aunt was enlisted on 4th Sept 1942 and requested to be posted with her sister (this was a standard procedure). Her trade on enlistment was tailoress.
I have found 2 residential addresses in Bournemouth Devon Towers, St Michaels's Road and St Margret's Hall, Westcliff Gardens.
My aunt's address book from the time also has an address for Mrs Pee of 9a Powis Grove, Brighton.
I know that my mother worked in offices for the whole of her service and for some of the time was seconded to a Government Department working with Civil Servants, I think that at that time she was involved with papers (damaged?) relating to Servicemen's pensions.
I have a notebook of my aunt's which records form numbers, codes and procedures which she obviously used in her work. Judging by this notebook she was working on Soldier's records; transfers, release, recall, absence etc. (I need to find a suitable home for this book).
At some point during my mother's service one of the buildings used by the ATS was bombed with a number of casualties, I can't remember if this was accommodation or offices.
Some of the women joined a cookery course (evening classes?) to fill their spare time but while in uniform they weren't allowed to carry any bags so they used to leave their gas masks behind so they could carry what they cooked in the gas bag cases.
I hope some of this is useful
Mary
