Rest & Recuperation During World War II

A Memory of Whitby.

Throughout our childhood our Mother talked about Whitby. During WWII she served as a gunner (Ack Ack girl) operating a predictor machine in the ATS. Her unit started protecting Felixstowe docks, then Sutton Coldfield covering the Midlands manufacturing. Later on Anglesey to cover Liverpool and the vital shipping lanes, lastly in Glasgow to protect ship building on the River Clyde. During this time her unit got shot at so much- they were entrenched with 3.7inch guns and search light which became the target of Nazi escort planes protecting their bomber planes. Eventually the unit was sent to Whitby for 2 months rest and recuperation and they stayed at the Royal Hotel. Mum adored Whitby and was forever talking about the place and how the girls would walk up the steps everyday to the Abbey in order to keep fit. She survived and was demobbed in 1945., however, sadly, the ATS lost over 700 women killed in action. The ATS girls were only 20 when they were called up to serve, they should have received much more credit than they did. The Akc Ack girls needed nerves of steel!