Joan Ward, Resident at HC-One's The Moat House from 2015 to 2019, had always loved to tell others of her experiences of life during the war.
During her time at the home, she had written a letter to her grandson detailing these experiences, which explained her thoughts and feelings of this period. Joan sadly passed away in March 2019, but her experiences live on through the stories she told.
Her story began during 1939 when she was originally evacuated to another school, and regularly hid in shelter to keep her and her family safe, she would regularly hear noises of planes flying overhead which she had always remembered.
As she left school in 1940, she went on to join the A.T.S, where she drove an ambulance in local Chatham.
After her role in the A.T.S ended, she began a job at nearby Duxford Aerodrome where she would remember seeing soldiers regularly gather around a small radio to listen for news regarding the war, and as Duxford was originally a fighter station, she saw spitfires constantly nearby.
She also described how difficult it was for food as the rations were so small, and how people chose to dig their lawns to try and grow vegetables. Many women also joined the Land Army and worked on the farms, whilst some of her other friends joined the Army, the Air Force and the Navy.
Joan spoke of an atmosphere of relief when peace was declared following the war, and how people danced on the streets when the news was announced.
Residents thoroughly enjoyed listening to Joan’s recollections of the war, with some identifying with her experiences. She was a loved member of The Moat House and will be greatly missed.