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Uniforms from Couple Married Before the War

online resource
posted on 2024-06-05, 20:07 authored by Their Finest Hour Project Team

The contributor brought in two uniforms worn by his grandparents in the Second World War, which were inherited by his mother from his grandmother. The contributor's grandad, John Wilson, moved to Kilkeel at the start of the war and remained there during the war. He worked as a bank manager at Northern Bank. The contributor's grandmother, Margaret Wilson, was originally from the Portadown area, where there was an American Air Force base. The contributor's grandmother stayed in a caravan park in Kilkeel that was an old Air Force base with concrete turrets. She volunteered with the American Red Cross. The contributor noted that women were not permitted to go to dances by themselves. His grandparents had met before the war and received a telegram with permission to marry before the war.

History

Item list and details

1. Air Raid Precautions warden truncheon. 2. Air Raid Precautions uniform. 3. American Red Cross volunteer uniform.

Person the story/items relate to

John and Margaret Wilson

Person who shared the story/items

Anon

Relationship between the subject of the story and its contributor

The contributor was the grandchild of John and Margaret Wilson.

Type of submission

Shared at The Linen Hall, Belfast on 17 June 2023.

Record ID

104218 | BEL006