Festive News 2017 2017 | Page 15

WARTIME BRAVERY FINALLY RECOGNISED

Amy Hicks was just a teenager when she signed up to do her bit for the war effort in 1941 . Little did she know when she started work at the Munition s Factory at Rotherwas that she would be putting her life on the line .

She was 18 , living with her parents in Broxwood near Kington picking fruit on local farms . World War 2 was raging across Europe and 2,000 women in Hereford were making bombs to attack the enemy . They were nick-named ‘ The Canary Girls ’ because the dust from the explosives turned their skin yellow . Amy was put to work at the end of the 25 pounder bomb production line inspecting every bomb before it left the factory on its killer mission .

Amy , who will be 95 in January tells how lucky she was to survive unharmed . When the factory was attacked in 1942 by German bombers , killing several of her fellow workers she was waiting for the bus to bring her into work . On another occasion when a morning explosion on the production line caused more deaths she was on the afternoon shift . “ When I started my shift the walls were still covered in blood ” she said , adding “ I was also lucky that my skin didn ’ t turn too yellow because I was not actually handling the TNT .”

She recalls they were given milk to drink to help overcome the yellowing of the skin and once a week were allowed a hot bath . Before starting work they were searched to make sure they were not carrying anything that could trigger an explosion .

Said Amy , “ We were paid £ 3 a week . I thought I was rich . I bought my mum a new pair of shoes out of my first wage packet .” She also bought herself a small leather case for five shillings to carry her sandwiches to work and still has it at her home in Staunton on Wye .

She and her husband Donald , who died in 1990 had four sons , Alan , Brian , Nigel and Alex who died in a car accident aged 17 and a daughter Jenny who has been kept busy ferrying mum to a host of events remembering the role Hereford – and its women – played winning the war .

In the summer Amy , together with 32 other ladies who made the bombs for the British forces to defeat the Nazi was presented with a specially made ‘ Front Line Duty ’ medal , a long overdue recognition of the valour of the Canary Girls who risked their own lives every time they went to work . She has also been filmed for a BBC TV

Amy with her medal

programme ‘ Women at War ’ to be shown during Remembrance week in November and was a guest of Kate Adie , the famous TV war correspondent when she spoke about her new book ‘ Fighting on the Home Front ’ at The Courtyard recently .

Rotherwas , on the outskirts of Hereford was a fine country estate for centuries until the start of the First World War when it became a vast complex employing 4,000 women , making bombs . It did the same task in World War 2 . Today , Rotherwas is a modern industrial estate creating 3,000 jobs . Now , there are just the memories of the role it played making the weapons that helped Britain win two world wars . Future generations must know the sacrifices that were made for freedom . That ’ s why it is important to tell the stories of Amy and her fellow munitions workers who helped save Britain from tyranny .

FESTIVE NEWS • DECEMBER 2017 • PAGE 15

HEREFORDSHIRE MEATS LTD High Class Family Butcher

£ 30 Meat Hamper

Joint of beef Chicken 1lb of bacon mince and sausage diced beef 4 Gammon Steaks 4 Pork Steaks 5 Burgers

● FUEL PACK £ 19.99

£ 48 Christmas Hamper

2.5kg Turkey Breast 1kg Gammon Joint 12 Pigs in Blankets 1kg Beef Joint 1kg Pork Joint 1 Stick of Sausage Meat

ORDERS NOW BEING TAKEN

Our counter offers one of the widest range of meats in Hereford

● Bronze Turkeys £ 10.99 kg / In Presentation Boxes

● Traditional White £ 7.99

● Boneless Turkey Breasts Whole lamb - £ 110 each approx 18 kg Home Cured Bacon a speciality , marinated Pork and Chicken available

Half a Pig - £ 87.50 . Bagged and labelled to your requirements Geese , Ducks , Ribs of Beef and Sirloin also available

Opening Times : Mon 8 : am - 5pm Tuesday - Friday 8am - 5pm

Sat 8am - 5pm

4 / 5 Beech Business Park , Hereford HR4 9QJ 01432 263264 Herefordshire Meats Pie Shop , 26 St Martin ’ s St , Hereford HR2 7RE 01432 273231

Book now for Quality meats at Christmas

REFRIGERATION AIR CONDITIONING SALES & SERVICE

Unit 13B Thorn Business Park , Hereford HR2 6JT Tel : [phone] Fax : [phone] Website : www . rssac . co . uk Email : enquiries @ rssac . co . uk

RSSAC Limited , supplier of energy efficient heat pump air conditioning wish all customers past , present and future a Very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

LOCKETT & CO

CHARTERED CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS & REGISTERED AUDITORS

● Accountancy & Auditing ● Business Planning

● Computer Training ● Taxation & Estate Planning

● VAT & Payroll Services

�

Unit 10 Grandstand Business Centre , Faraday Road Hereford HR4 9NS Tel : [phone] enquiries @ barryreed . co . uk www . barryreed . co . uk

Shelton House , Coningsby Street , Hereford HR1 2DY Tel : [phone] Fax : [phone] Email : enquiries @ lockettsco . co . uk www . lockettco . co . uk