Joan Laurie

During the summer months many of us enjoyed our lovely surroundings. We would sunbathe in the gardens and sometimes take the small rowing boat out on the river. Row as far as we could, the river was very shallow, and in places nearly dried up and then enjoy a picnic. We also walked in the meadows and one was fill of primroses and white and purple violets. Other days, during off duty hours, we would have a game of tennis, and one particular cold winter we played ice hockey with the RAF men on the lily pond.
My watch slept in the ballroom, very cold and damp at times and great excitement when we were allowed to light a fire, just occasionally. I often prepared the meal on night watch we would come over to the house about 2 or 3 am and set the tables with the cold meal. I cannot remember what we were given but I do remember doing rounds and rounds of toast. The galley was down a long dark corridor with a stone floor, quite ghostly at times.
I was also lodged at Woburn Abbey, just for the few months that I was at Bletchley Park. To start with the Wrens from Gayhurst were housed in the house but after a while we were put in a Nissan hut in the courtyard. We liked this better as we had our friends around us. I remember opening the door next to my bedroom, but mistake, and seeing a room packed full of the precious china of the house. I was amazed that the door was not locked. We also used to enjoy the grounds in our spare time and I have many memories of the sound of the stags roar and the clashing of their antlers during the rutting season. As the drive was three miles long we would cycle to the road and leave our bikes locked in the hedge and pick them up on the way back. We always hitched to get further afield. There were many camouflaged aeroplanes scattered in the ground and under the trees all waiting to go into service.