The MAFCSV is proud to present its video celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to mark the seventy years of service Elizabeth II has given since she became monarch on 6 February 1952.
We look at how Her Majesty contributed personally to the war effort by serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service, and the wide range of duties this unit undertook all over the world. Though women were not allowed to serve on the front line, their involvement in many important aspects of wartime service brought them into dangerous situations, especially manning searchlights or playing a vital role in the anti-aircraft gun teams.
The video shows the Czech and Slovak women who were also serving in the ATS at the same time, many based in the Middle East. Two of these very heroic ladies are buried in the veteran’s section at Brookwood. Helena Polívková and Nina Dobosharevich.
Certainly, there was not much glamour involved in belonging to the ATS when it came to the operational side. Driving heavy vehicles without power steering or automatic gears was physically demanding, and checking guns or vehicles before their handover to the troops a significant responsibility at the time.
The Army were in some difficulty on the recruitment front in that respect. The khaki uniform did not stand up well against the smarter Royal Air Force blue and a notoriously ill-judged appeal was attempted to sell the service as being at the height of glamour with the poster being nicknamed the blonde bombshell! It was probably one the most contentious messages of the recruitment campaign and was withdrawn shortly after for more sober images!
With wartime service in Britain came the entitlement to the Defence Medal, which the Queen wears. Its ribbon is predominantly green representing the British countryside, but with two black horizontal lines symbolic of the blackout and then the middle orange stripe being the fires that raged during the enemy bombing raids.
The final clip shows the huge crowds celebrating along The Mall in London in May 1945. This is particularly emotive as they appear to wave directly at us
Hopefully we can all equally celebrate in some way this year and remember the many different aspects of service that led to victory in Europe and the joyous occasion we see.
LONG LIVE THE QUEEN!
Dr George Scott
