As Remembrance Day approaches, it is important to remember the part women played during WW2. This is my late mother-in-law in 1942, Private Marian Bower in her Auxiliary Territorial Army uniform. On her 21st birthday, April 16, 1943, in conditions of utmost secrecy, she was taken to an army HQ Wilton House near Salisbury. She remained there until November 1944.

Selected to record the highly secret development and planning of Operation Overlord, she was an absolute ace at taking minutes, shorthand and typing. At any time of day or night at the Headquarters of Southern Command Marshalling Area she had to be ready to record meetings, outcomes, directions and orders, then ensure they were successfully delivered by motorcycle courier. General Orders were for the assembling of troops, ships, transport, railways, road closures, the transport of POWs, heavy equipment, the arrangements for the transfer of casualties to hospitals throughout the South East and the movement of 156,000 troops, 5,000 ships and landing craft, a massive operation. In later years, she was extremely modest about the importance of her role.

Marian survived the war, awarded the BEM for her outstanding service. A practicing Quaker she died peacefully aged 92. Her Commanding Officer’s citation included the following: “I know how very hard you worked during the spring and summer and the great honour you have brought the Company thrills us all.”

In WW2 over 1,000 UK women died in active service, 335 in the ATS, 303 Wrens, 187 WAAFs, 187 women and men in the Air Transport Auxiliary and others.

Let us not forget the enormous contribution, service and sacrifice women gave during WW2. Many worked in highly important factories and industries. Many gave their lives, and many like Marian were modest, self-effacing, dutiful and patriotic. Let us not forget them on Monday, November 11 and this year, the 80th Anniversary of Operation Overlord.

Peter Rees,

Monarch Way,

Winchester

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