Add Information to Record of a Person who served during the Second World War on The Wartime Memories Project Website
Add Information to Record of a Person who served during the Second World War on The Wartime Memories Project Website
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248480
Sgt. Mary Stevely "Mame" McFall
Auxiliary Territorial Service
from:Glasgow, Scotland
Mum, Mary McFall joined the ATS at age 17 (she lied to get in). This was around 1938. I think she was originally a cook, but soon moved on to telephones and then radar.
Her stories of the war were many, but always limited in detail (I think she was scared that she would frighten us children). However, she did tell us some horror stories of victims of the Holocaust leading to my own daughter becoming a holocaust scholar. She also talked about being able to take the radar equipment apart and putting it back together again in the dark. She also mentioned she and another young girl being asked to train a couple of soldiers on how to use some of the equipment. The soldiers were going behind enemy lines within days. She explained to the instructors that this could not be done in such a short time and that it would be best if they simply went with them. This was eventually agreed upon. I commented to her that this was very brave, but she simply shrugged it off saying many faced worse dangers. Names that she mentioned were a Chrissie Hannagan (from Glasgow) and Margaret Martian (married name, again from Glasgow)