Woman of the Week, Muriel Rogerson, Evening Telegram. February 2, 1946, p. 8
“A part from going to England to take various courses,” said Ms. Rogerson, “I spent the war years in Ireland, doing MT (Motor Transport) work all the time.”
“At first I was driving. I drove for three years, and I think I know every county in the North of Ireland. Then I was made Platoon Sergeant. I was responsible for thirty cars. We had eight ambulances, twelve staff cars and trucks. My job was to visit the detachments and check up, to arrange the girls’ leaves and so on.”
Miss Rogerson was in the R. A. S. C. which was the original Fannies. The Fannies started in the Crimea War, and were mounted nurses. The service was voluntary at that time.”
“The first two years of the war,” continued Miss Rogerson, “we were on our own. We were not put under army regulations until the third year, when we became affiliated with the army. After that, their rules were our rules.”
“As regards blitzes, we were in two bad ones. The company was quartered in the Victoria Barracks near the Dockyards of Belfast. Things finally got so bad that we had to leave. We moved on to Dunnurry after that.”
“It would be wrong to say we weren’t scared. Of course we were. We had to put out incendiary bombs, and move out the ambulances. Cars had to be dispersed as soon as the alert sounded. Of course, our minds were on our work, and that helped, but it was constant anxiety, wondering what had happened.”
“We had to take whatever came along. Many a time I have hosed a car by flashlight. And after driving perhaps hundreds of miles, we had to hose and refill the cars with petrol as soon as we got back, making them ready for the next trip.”
“One got to hear many interesting things through passengering cars. We got to know where the gunsites were, and more than a few secrets came to our ears. Of course everything was very hush-hush and we couldn’t mention anything we heard, although we were often dying to tell someone about it.”
“Inspecting the cars was a very monotonous job, and done often under difficult conditions. The cold was sometimes very severe.”
“I loved Ireland, especially the South, where I spent my leaves. I found the people very hospitable and very pleasant and lovable.”
“I finally got back in September. I left Ireland on the VJ day, dashed off to England, and found I had to wait a month before I could get transportation back. It was very disappointing to see the others get a while longer, but the month past, and here I am.”