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Joyce Kent, born in 1922, returned home to Worthing after her spell in London and wasted no time in attempting to further her career.
'Got me a job, registered with Civil Nursing Reserve Mobile. I did the usual voluntary things: ambulance, hospital, with fire watching at night now and again, with a friend in our road,'
In 1941, when part-timers from the Ambulance Depot were volunteering for the Services, mainly the Navy, Joy (as she prefers to be known) seized the opportunity.
'We thought, or I did anyway, go for it girl. Along with my friends, Audrey, Min and Joan, I volunteered for the Mobile VAD (Volunteer Auxiliary Detachment). My odd bits of savings over the years had not only bought my Red Cross gear for local part time voluntary work, but now it had to stretch to buy at least twelve aprons, three dresses, and a great coat with epaulets. Also, black stockings, navy knickers, peaked cap, a so-called storm cap and a two-piece, tailor made for walking out.
The day came - joy, oh joy, but was soon dampened. We were waiting for Sherbourne, Somerset Auxiliary Royal Navy Hospital to be finished, one of many single storey prefabricated buildings made for the hostilities.
My 'call up' was to go to Brighton as a dental chair side attendant. I rushed to the nearest phone box and said no I don't want that, I know nothing about it. The reason of course was valid, they said the VAD quarters had not been finished, and wouldn't be until early 1942.
The day came when my friend Audrey and I were called up to Haslar Hospital, Gosport - a real old Naval Hospital steeped in traditional Navy ways.
I still laugh at our day of travel, two country bumpkins to go across to Haslar Hospital itself. We were to await a boat, not the passenger one you know today. It was called a pinnace; we only knew one other anatomical word similar, and just hoped we had got it right!
It was the longest and coldest wait I ever had. I could not afford a proper uniform, so had bought a navy blue, (I think it was called) Reefer Coat, and made my lapels out of a half belt. So my improvising went on until we had our allocation, a book of coupons, as officers had, and our uniform money refunded. So I had my money for a peaked cap and proper tailor-made coat with red lining. We had £7 per month after extra vitals and board and lodging were taken. I still remember liver and bacon sometimes for breakfast.
The day after arrival there was a medical. After this we were to go into the quarters for all people with no naval connection or social standing e.g. Hon. or Lady, etc. We had a certain amount of training from an RN Matron. She was really nice and very exacting. This was to put me in good stead for the future.
The hospital was next to the sea, and boats full of casualties could pull in alongside.
My first ward allocation was in ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat). I was given my allocated number of patients after the report, which nurses always have before commencing a shift, only to realise a John Fryer was due at a certain time for some gargle. I spoke to him; he was a New Zealand Navy fellow. He told me he had to have his gargle twenty minutes before, to soothe his throat after his tonsillectomy. He seemed young, and certainly not an especially good-looking guy, but straight and no-nonsense.
Johnny (as I got to know him) got cured of course.
Surgeon Rear Admirals' rounds were done in full uniform and white gloves. It was said, so that he could put his finger along high ledges and if they showed dirt, we would be in trouble. Galley doors had to be wedged open for his rounds to show that there was nothing to hide, with everything clean. We VADs stood like soldiers each side of the ward entrance, unless treating an emergency.
This very exacting, which appeared overdone, put me in line for my civvy training for SRN.
I had a draft to Sherbourne; the hospital previously designated for me. I was at Haslar just to be trained up, so that I was prepared for anything.
I got my G1 before leaving Haslar, to go with my G11.'
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