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| SALVATORE VALENTI, 508 SQUADRON. WOLLATON PARK
(Page 3) |
After we became friends I left my home and Mum at Daybrook, Arnold to move in with my older sister Hilda and her family who lived in Aspley. This was very near Strelley which itself wasn’t too far from Wollaton Park, although it still meant 4 buses a day for me, 2 from Daybrook to Nottingham and 2 from Nottingham to Aspley.
This was very tiring as I worked shifts in an engineering company 20 minutes walk away from my home in Daybrook. I worked from 6 a.m. – 2 p.m., or 2 p.m. – 10 p.m., or 10 p.m. – 6 a.m. and in-between times I danced, danced and danced.
War work was very demanding and we had to put up with blackouts and air raids too, as well as walking everywhere when the buses weren’t running, but we were young and had plenty of energy.
I spent my 21st birthday with Sal and my sister Hilda and her husband Jack.
Sal brought me a corsage of orchids – how lovely!
Then Sal, myself, Hilda and Jack went to the Ritz – this was a cinema with a small dance floor where we had a lovely meal. We had to leave early as the last bus left Nottingham at 9 p.m. due to petrol rationing.
All outside lights had to be covered in case of German air raids, and this made getting about very difficult.
When there was a raid somewhere, it was electrifying and terrifying to stand and look in the moonlight to watch 50 or more planes droning overhead, knowing some city was doomed that night, it was a truly dreadful sound. Such a very special birthday that was for me.
In time Hilda and Jack gave Sal a key to let himself into their home to rest – whenever he was off duty and later on they loaned him a bicycle, which helped him a lot and yes, we did get the bike back. | |
